Resources

This paper describes the use of wealth ranking as part of rapid nutritional assessments undertaken between 1988 and 1989 in Darfur, Sudan by an Oxfam nutrition team. The assessments combined two techniques; wealth ranking, a technique to show people's own perceptions of differences in wealth, and conventional weight-for-height measurements of child malnutrition. The objective was to establish whether it was the poorer families who were more likely to have malnourished children. Contrary to expectations, poor nutritional status did not correspond with low wealth status as percieved by the people themselves. It was found that malnourished children were present in both rich and poor families in the three communities surveyed. This suggests that targetting food to households on the basis of socio-economic data may in some cases be inaccurate and wasteful. Wealth ranking was considered by the survey team to be far quicker than household interviews in previous surveys.

The methodology recommended by this document builds on rapid rural appraisal techniques. The author develops a framework for more effective analysis and design of community forestry activities. First, the framework analyses tenure issues within three broad tenure types: the holding, the commons, and the forest reserve. Second it examines, from the point of view of the household, the opportunities for tree planting and use under each of these three tenure systems. While it is recognised that there are obvious limits to the use of the rapid appraisal methodology, it should be possible to significantly reduce related design problems in projects through the procedures suggested in the publication. The author's knowledge of a forestry project in the Arusha region of Tanzania provides examples.

The history of extension work is examined, emphasising changes in extension workers attitudes towards farmers and the link between extension and research into new technologies and products. The shift from the transfer of technology to farmer first approaches is noted. Existing extension officers are often blamed for poor approaches to extension, and the skills and local knowledge that they have built up over time is ignored. In the case of Vietnam, extension for appropriate technology is competeting with a new factor - private extension promoting individual techologies. The use of PRA in extension is unclear, with limited applicability as extension workers are already in day to day contact with the farmers. It is recognised, however, that fundamental shifts in the planning process are needed. The emphasis should be on appropriate communication skills, developed over time.

Discusses an ENDA project working on community woodlands, where community theatre was used to stimulate discussion on the local forest resource. Group discussions focused on the woodlands, trees and changes in the forest over time. There was agreement that there were few trees, and that they were declining in number, due to drought, overpopulation and mismanagement. Constraints and potential solutions were identified. There were few gender differences in awareness. The play was created from the key issues identified by these small group discussions by improvisation of scenes in the home, field and forest. It was felt that these plays were interesting and constructive, and that the momentum came from within the community with little external direction needed, and community "ownership" of the theatre.

Outlines the ideas and concepts of PAME, its benefits and applicability to community forestry programmes, including discussions on the definition of community forestry. The second section is divided into participatory assesment, baselines, monitoring and evaluation, describing methods, purposes and benefits for each. The use of participatory, predominantly visual, techniques, their efficiency and openness to the community is discussed, along with presentation within the community through photos, diagrams, theatre, charts - presentation to groups, by groups. Finally the tools themselves are illustrated, recognising that within each situation, there will be different applications. Twenty-three tools are described, with mention of their purpose, benefits, uses and the precautions that must be taken in their use.

This article describes a three day workshop on PRA conducted by the NGO SPEECH in Tamil Nadu, based in a village where SPEECH was working. The main purpose of the PRA was to discuss the rehabilitation of an irrigation tank network, while introducing the concepts of PRA to the participants. Several techniques were taught and practised: timelines, participatory mapping, modelling, seasonal calendars. One of the group activities documented was the construction of a matrix of six trees according to eight criteria, illustration included. There was initial resistance to the discussion of trees in gardens, but apparently good discussion on the growth and suitability of different trees both near homesteads and on communal lands, along the bunds and on wastelands. The general concensus at the end of the workshop was positive, in terms of the use of PRA in daily planning activities.