Resources

This is a readable guide to the use of diagrams in RRA and PRA. Chapter 1 discusses the value of diagrams, compares diagramming with other methods and cautions how diagrams may be misunderstood. Chapter 2 gives hints ('do's' and 'don'ts') on diagramming, rapid assessment of diagrams and on the logistics and practicalities of the process. The remaining chapters each discuss a type of diagram: maps and models, transects and transect walks, seasonal and daily calendars, time trends, historical and predictive diagramming, cartoons, flow diagrams, decision trees, pie diagrams and Venn diagrams. Throughout the book are illustrated examples.

This paper, written in one day, reflects the author's personal experience of facilitating participatory technology development (PTD), focusing on a case study in India. The objectives of PTD are defined as to improve the capability of a farming community (i) to develop appropriate agricultural technology, (ii) to define their problems, (iii) to identify alternative solutions, (iv) to systematically test alternative solutions (designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating tests). PTD is briefly compared with 5 other types of agricultural change process, and the PTD process is described in detail. A number of potentials and constraints of PTD are discussed. One conclusion is that some types of problem were more easily addressed by PTD, while many problems could not be solved by PTD, particularly since the facilitating organisation paid insufficient attention to problems in the wider farming community. The author candidly acknowledges aspects of the process which may have been over-influenced by the facilitating organisation. The author's reflects that it should be recognised that the facilitator is not a 'blank sheet', but has its own interests (e.g. sustainable development) which may differ from those of the community participants. These interests should be made transparent to partner organisations. However, these goals are not discussed with farmers, with whom the focus is on 'building an open and trusting relationship'.

This is a collection of materials used in PRA exercises by KGVK. A number of methods are presented, each with an example of the visual product and a short discussion of the purposes and applications of the method, and the process of application. Methods include: family line (genealogy), trend lines, seasonal calendars, causal diagrams, pie charts, resource and institutional mapping, interviewing, matrices, ranking, transects and village planning. Examples include applications to health, agriculture and livelihood analysis. Most examples are in English, and one or two are in local languages. All discussion of methods in English.

This paper discusses a 6-day training of 'northern' development practitioners in a 'northern' setting: the Austrian Alps. The training was not designed to constitute 'full qualification' but to introduce trainees to the possibilities and limits of R/PRA. The basic training is regarded as having been successful for a number of reasons, and also provided some training insights: (i) 'training by doing' is a good form of learning transfer; (ii) 'training by doing' in Europe allows for transfer of critical ideas from the First to the Third World and vice versa; (iii) Experiencing R/PRA in one's own language intensifies learning insights; (iv) Direct experience of visualisation and intensive interaction are decisive for convincing a participant about R/PRA; (v) Sequencing of techniques is indispensable for real life application and has to be given special attention in field training; (vi) Attention should be paid to group processes among the trainees; (vii) Such training requires a community with an explicit interest in cooperating with the training group; (viii) There are ethical issues concerning the transformation of training into action research; (ix) PRA training as action has some minimal requirements; (x) It also has some dangers; (xi) Training should enable transfer of learning to trainees' working environments; (xii) The theoretical basis of R/PRA is insufficiently developed to clarify it to trainees.

This is a longer version of the paper by Lily in Koning (ed.) Proceedings of the International Symposium on Participatory Research in Health Promotion (1994). The paper outlines the background to the evolving Women's Development Project (WDP) in Bangladesh. It focuses on a health education component of the project, and gives an example of community mapping in a Bangladeshi village, conducted with village-based volunteer health educators (VHEs). The process of the exercise is reported, as are the reactions of the VHEs. The mapping exercise led to a discussion of the achievements and challenges faced, illustrating the potential role of mapping in enabling women to look at their own work in a new way. Other potential uses of PRA in the WDP are listed.

This paper, prepared as part of a report to the ODA, examines the past, present and future role of community participation in the development of Isiolo District, Kenya. Past initiatives discussed include government policy and practice, the institutional framework provided by the District Focus, and the role of the Department of Social Services. Current initiatives include the role of NGOs and international agencies, and community participation in the Isiolo Livestock Development Project. regarding the latter, there are discussions of the ILDP approach and its weaknesses, the role of the deda, ethnic conflict, women's participation and links with formal institutions. The final section discusses options for the future, including potential for the use of existing institutions, and channels for institutionalising and methods for facilitating community participation

This paper outlines the present (1988) state of soil and water conservation (SWC) in the Sahel (focusing on Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali). It focuses on conservation structures rather than the biological measures of erosion control (e.g. windbreaks, range management etc.). Section II describes and analyses major SWC systems recently introduced in the Sahel. Each system is analysed with regard to (i) impact on yields, (ii) construction and maintenance requirements, (iii) size of areas treated, (iv) the extent to which the techniques can be carried out by the population without external support. Indigenous SWC systems are described in Section III. Section IV deals with trends in Sahelian SWC. Section V indicates elements of a strategy to strengthen SWC in the Sahel and the final section presents some recommendations for governments, donor agencies and rural organisations. There is some discussion of the need to improve knowledge of indigenous systems of SWC and to maximize local participation