La ponencia repasa los princÝpios bßsicos de la metodologÝa de investigaci¾n participativa empleada en algunos proyectos de la Universidad Javeriana en Colombia. Ademßs, hay algunas reflexi¾nes sobre el papel desempe±ado por las mujeres en los proyectos, y como la investigaci¾n participativa ayuda la concientizaci¾n de las mujeres en los grupos de promotores.
El artÝculo describe el desarrollo de la experiencia de investigaci¾n -capacitaci¾n realizada con funcionarios de la Caja Agraria (Colombia). El objectivo era de capacitar a los funcionarios para el mejor desarrollo de sus actividades concernientes la transferencia de tecnologÝa. Se investigaron especÝficatamente: 1)el entorno socioecon¾mico y sociopolÝtico en el que act·an los extensionistas de la Caja Agraria, 2)algunas particularidades de la dinßmica de la producci¾n y de los productores locales, incluidos aspectos tecnol¾gicos y de crÚdito. Se usaron en el trabajo algunas herramientas de investigaci¾n participativa en la concepci¾n de aprender-haciendo contando con el apoyo de los productores de la zona.
La ponencia relata una experiencia de investigaci¾n participativa con campesinos de la fundaci¾n San Isidro (Colombia) que habÝan recibido capacitaci¾n sobre tÚcnicas agropecuarias, con una orientaci¾n bßsica hacia la estructuraci¾n de la granja integral. El concepto de granja integral se refiere al manejo racional de los recursos disponibles como una totalidad para lograr una mayor eficiencia de una manera equilibrada para campesinos que disponen de poca tierra. El objectivo de la investigaci¾n era el de evaluar la capacitaci¾n impartida, lo que implicaba descubrir quÚ conocimientos o prßcticas agropecuarias desarrollaban los campesinos y finalmente tratar de ver quÚ cambios hacÝan en sus unidades de explotaci¾n como resultado de la capacitaci¾n. Los campesinos tomaron parte en la investigaci¾n junto a los investigadores de la Universidad Javeriana asÝ que pudieron participar como promotores dentro de un proceso de capacitaci¾n. Los resultados de la investigaci¾n mostran que la integralidad de la producci¾n campesina se ve alterada por las condiciones que le imponen a la familia su vinculaci¾n con el mercado.
Esta ponencia describe una experiencia de investigaci¾n participativa, realizada conjuntamente por un grupo de promotores campesinos, una parte del equipo de tÚcnicos de salud de la Fundaci¾n San Isidro y un grupo de investigadores del Programa de Investigaci¾n de la Facultad de Ciencias Econ¾micas y Administrativas de la Universidad Javeriana. La investigaci¾n tiene como eje la recuperaci¾n del conocimiento que todavÝa existe, sobre la utilizaci¾n de las plnatas en prßcticas curativas en comunidades rurales del Departamento. La transmisi¾n de este saber a las nuevas generaciones se ha debilitado por multiples razones. A travÚs de la investigaci¾n participativa en la que los promotores campesinos son a la vez sujeto y objeto, se pretende no s¾lo recuperar dicho saber sino que en el proceso Ústos se capaciten y estrechen lazos con la comunidad a la que serßn devueltos los resultados de la investigaci¾n.
La participaci¾n comunitaria vÝa el cooperativismo rural valora no solamente la autoayuda sino en especial la autoayuda con base en la 'entreayuda' o el auxilio mutuo. Una verdadera participaci¾n implica la adquisici¾n del poder para determinar su propio camino y su propio destino por parte de las personas participantes. Este artÝculo analiza la participaci¾n de la base social en tres cooperativas campesinas en Colombia. Utilizando metodos como la observaci¾n estructurada participativa y entrevistas semi-estructuradas se busca estudiar como influyen los factores de tipo social, cultural, politico y administrativo en la participaci¾n de los asociados de las cooperativas.
This short article discusses the gender implications of the REFLECT adult literacy methodology. In REFLECT literacy circles provide a space where a topic of interest to both women and men is analyzed in an open-ended but well focused discussion, rooted in their own experiences. An evaluation of the three pilots of the REFLECT methodology which are being carried out in Uganda, Bangladesh and El Salvador found encouraging first results. Women reported being treated with more respect by men because they are attending literacy circles. In some cases this led to greater involvement in discussion and decision-making, increased mobility and more sharing of domestic work between women and men.
En Columbia se hace necesario poner en marcha procesos de Desarrollo Econ¾mico regional y local en los cuales las comunidades involucradas act·en de manera mßs activa en la satisfacci¾n de sus necesidades reales. Las cooperativas rurales se han manifestado idealmente como un medio capaz de inducir a la comunidad organizada en ellas a colaborar en el mejoramiento de su vida econ¾mica, social, y cultural. Con esta idea, la Unidad de Estudios Rurales de la Javeriana ha venido desarrollando experiencias particulares de investigaci¾n y capacitaci¾n con cooperativas de ahorro y credito, comercializaci¾n y multiactivas, en diferentes regiones, en las cuales se han puesto a prueba pasos, procesos y tÚcnicas de caracteristicas participativas, con el deseo de lograr un aumento del interÚs de las bases sociales en la vida de la organizaci¾n. En esta ponencia se analizan los resultados obtenidos.
Este manual origin¾ en un taller sobre seguimiento y evaluaci¾n participativos en la ciudad de Kisumu en Kenya, y estß dirigido al personal de campo que desee desarrollar y fortalecer las bases de la participaci¾n comunitaria en el desarrollo forestal comunitario. El manual estß dividido en tres secciones. En la secci¾n I se presentan el concepto del diagn¾stico, seguimiento y evaluaci¾n participativos (DSEP) y los beneficios que han de obtenerse del nuevo enfoque. Esta secci¾n contiene tambiÚn algunos ejercicios de comunicaci¾n rÚciproca para el personal de campo. La secci¾n II proporciona los mÚtodos para determinar las necesiades de informaci¾n y las formas en que esa informaci¾n puede analizarse y presentarse. La secci¾n III describe las herramientas de compilaci¾n de informaci¾n y ofrece algunas sugerencias para la selecci¾n de estos instrumentos.
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Describes how storytelling was used during a PRA training course in Cameroon. The stories provided a useful entry point for discussion on issues such as nature conservation. The paper concludes that storytelling can be an appropriate way of initiating a dialogue with local people on potentially conflictual issues.
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This paper looks at the role of PRA in addressing inequality and argues that participatory methods themselves contribute very little to an emancipatory process. It suggests that unless PRA is explicitly linked with an educational process which enables people with little power and resources to gain more control over their lives, the term 'participatory' will remain meaningless. A critical step is understanding issues of difference among 'the poor,' especially gender difference. However, it is one thing to identify differences but another to deal with the conflicting interests that emerge. The potential for a backlash against weaker groups is a real concern and must be taken into consideration. While the facilitator has a role to play in enabling groups to analyze the effects of possible reactions to the action they propose, it is the group of participants who must make the final decision.
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Perhaps the most fundamental challenge facing indigenous peoples in Central America is securing legal protection for their homelands, to preserve their way of life and the ecosystems that are essential to it. Two years ago Indian leaders and cultural activists in the north-east corner of Honduras decided to remedy the political invisibility of the Indians of the Mosquita region by carefully mapping where and how the different tribes lived. This article describes a project which helped the Indians create detailed records of their homelands to establish who inhabited the land and how it was being used. The project was also successfully replicated in the Darien region of Panama. Mapping indigenous homelands demonstrated that these lands are not uninhabited and degraded, and raised the regional awareness of the Indians, showing them the common ground they shared with other indigenous peoples and empowering them to pursue legal protection for their homelands.
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The article describes how PRA methods have been successfully used to promote AIDS awareness in Thailand. First the participants divide members of their community into as many groups and sub-groups as possible. They then rank the groups according to the level of risk of contracting HIV. In the next exercise participants make connections between the groups, and begin to realise that even those who are not themselves engaged in any risky behaviour are not risk-free.
This handbook was developed whilst training extension workers in the Philippines. Aimed at raising gender awareness, many of the activities described are based on PRA methods. Examples include gender-specific activity calendar, time use charts, decision making matrix and social mapping. Other activities are based on stories and role play. The handbook is divided into four sections : 1) Roles, responsibilities and needs 2) Gender awareness 3) values, power structure and communication in groups 4) Quantitative and qualitative participation. Although the sixty 'tools' are clearly laid out and illustrated, some of the community activities demand on a high level of literacy.
The report describes a two-and-a-half day workshop on PRA and poverty alleviation in Mongolia. The workshop focused on issues of local poverty and introduced PRA techniques as a means to identifying causes and potential solutions. It also provided a discussion forum for the exchange of ideas between sum officials, bag governors, representatives of herders and sum centre poor, and outsiders. A brief introduction to participation and PRA and its context in Mongolia was followed by a poverty analysis exercise to establish the local situation. Various PRA techniques were introduced - semi-structured interviewing, mapping, matrix scoring, seasonal calendars and daily activities. The final sessions introduced the SWOT analysis and planning methodology (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) to bring the focus from general analysis to planning.
This brief discussion note addresses the frequently expressed concerns that communities should not be used simply to test out methods, and that carrying out a PRA raises too many expectations by local communities. It is argued that these criticisms reflect inadequate planning and a lack of transparency when working with communities. Indeed, raising expectations is actually one of the objectives. If the operational confines are made clear from the start, then raising expectations through participatory methods can generate a momentum for the active involvement of communities.