Participatory rural appraisal: a case study from Kenya

This chapter describes the application of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) methodology to a community development initiative in Mbusyani sublocation, Kenya in 1988. The purpose of the study was to learn whether a multi-disciplinery team consisting of government officers, researchers, technical officers and community leaders could gather data, define problems, rank solutions and devise an integrated village plan for natural resources management in a relatively short time period, with substantial community participation. The authors conclude that the PRA process offers possibilities for restructuring the way rural planning and resources management takes place, although should be regarded as a supplementary methodology rather than a substitute for other methods of gathering information and planning.