Successful Approaches to Participatory Research: The Small Ruminant CRSP Project, Western Kenya

This paper describes a project aimed at developing a production technology package for meat and milk goats in Western Kenya, where dual purpose goats (DPGs) are not traditionally raised. Developing an appropriate production system necessitated the characterisation of existing farming systems. The project follows a farming systems approach to research and development. It involved (i) farming systems analysis, (ii) monitoring a limited number of DPGs on farm, and (iii) technical and socio-economic evaluation of technology packages and production systems. The benefits of farmer participation for technology development are examined. The final section discusses collaboration between researchers, government and NGOs.