The use of complementary methods to understand the dimensions of soil fertility in the hills of Nepal

This paper describes the use of a variety of research methods including PRA, RRA in exploring the complex issue of soil fertility in the hills of Nepal. The parallel use of participatory and formal research methods in the research process are described. The results obtained from different methods are compared and contrasted illustrating the complexity of the problem of soil fertility. The use of complementary approaches that combine the qualitative strength of PRA with the quantitative data obtained from conventional surveys are highlighted. The challenges, as outlined in the paper, are to identify and develop complementary methods and to maintain an optimum balance between the qualitative and quantitative concerns.