From rapid rural appraisal to relax and participatory appraisal

The article traces the development of RRA and PRA in relation to earlier and parallel methodologies, and outlines their core principles and practices. PRA is distinguished from RRA by the extent to which people are involved in carrying out the analysis and own the resulting information. The three pillars of PRA - behaviour, methods, and sharing - are discussed, with a strong emphasis on the importance of behaviour and attitudes. The article also highlights some problems and dangers, and concludes with some practical tips for using PRA in the field.