This paper describes work carried out by ActionAid in Vietnam on poverty identification and programme interventions which have been designed in response. A wealth-ranking exercise led to the production of village ranking lists, which highlighted significant socio-economic differences between the villagers. Some of the difficulties encountered in using the method as the basis for planning interventions are also discussed.
This review provides an update on practice and experiences of civil society participation in the development of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). It was commissioned by DFID and conducted from August-October 2001 by the Participation Group at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). It begins with an overview of how the principle of participation has been interpreted by a range of actors and how these vary between International Financial Institutions, civil society and governments. Underpinning these variations is the difference between civil society participation as a means to a more effective poverty reduction strategy and participation as a means for non governmental actors to gain voice in their country's policy making and political processes. The review suggests that on balance civil society participation can add considerable value to PRSP processes and to transforming policy environments in ways that are beneficial to the poor and supportive of better governance and more responsive behaviour by governments and donor institutions. Although participation can add value, the review does not demonstrate conclusively that in all countries significant value has been added to date, nor that as much has been added as could be with better quality participatory processes.
In 1999, in response to a number of critical pressures, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) re-introduced poverty reduction as a major element of policy making, and Poverty Reduction Strategies were born. Since that time ActionAid offices have actively embraced the potential of these new spaces and processes for interaction in policy making - processes which had previously been closed This brief is drawn from a seven country review of ActionAid's engagement with World Bank/IMF policies, with particular focus on Poverty Reduction Strategies. The review itself analyses the extent to which AA was able to facilitate the participation and involvement of marginalized and vulnerable groups in the PRS debate, the impact this engagement has had on social, economic and political rights, pro-poor policy-making and budgetary allocation with the seven selected countries. This brief summerises the four major findings and eight recommendations and then goes on to ask what has changed in the content of PRSs. It also asks has the paradigm of the Washington consensus lifted, and goes on to summerise the experience of participation and process, key elements of PRSs but requiring immense effort by civil society organisations and other actors. Finally the brief looks at the question of country ownership of these processes.
In this book World Vision takes a look at Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). Starting from a position of supporting PRSPs and constructively engaging with the process, World Vision undertakes an analysis of their own experience and uncovers the frustrations that have been felt by many of those involved. The following is covered in the six chapters of the book:
" Making PRSPs Work: Can Rhetoric and Reality Coincide?
" All For Naught? An Analysis of Senegal's PRSP Process
" Working Towards an Ethiopian PRSP
" Process Before Strategy: Planning a PRSP for Cambodia
" How is the Next Generation to Live? The Enhanced HIPC II and a Strategy to Reduce Poverty in Bolivia, Honduras and Nicaragua
" Conclusion: Beyond Jubilee Towards Justice
A pilot course on project identification was run for 24 heads of local government departments in several states in Northern Nigeria. The first course was based on fieldwork and focussed on applying RRA techniques for the purpose of project identification. This report evaluates the training programme from a methodological perspective, pointing out mistakes that were made, such as using a questionnaire instead of a checklist. The analysis also shows the importance of working out participants' specific training needs and developing a model to meet these. PRA activities are not described, but some findings are given
A major part of this twelve day workshop was spent in fieldwork, using the PRA techniques (listed in Section II) learnt in theory classes. This report describes in detail the methodology and findings of the field exercises, showing clearly the practical problems encountered (such as how to "reach" the women) as well as the lively and diverse information that can emerge from PRA activities. The fieldwork in Chimontu and Chongwe resulted in two methodological innovations : i) the seasonality analysis of illness was combined with trend analysis to show how illness had changed over ten years ii) the institutional diagram was used to show what the group would like to see in the area. Points about location of fieldwork, timing, structure of training and group composition conclude this report. The appendices include an interesting list of participants' concerns after completing the fieldwork, plus the actual visual results of the PRA activities.
This training workshop was designed to introduce participants to appraisal techniques suitable for use in a Participatory Poverty Assessment study being conducted in Ghana by the World Bank. Written by one of two trainers, the report covers only the rural appraisal methods. The Darko field work section describes in detail the PRA methods, including sequencing, materials used and findings. Gender issues underlie the lively analysis: eg the wealth and well-being ranking shows how differently men and women tackled the activity. The report includes a list of topics covered in the theoretical sessions, comments on logistical problems on the course, and finally highlights the methodological innovations made (well-being ranking being superimposed on wealth ranking and the frequency distribution health matrix).
This long and detailed study describes how the mandal (administrative area) of Devikere in Jagalar, Karnataka State was selected as the appropriate site for an Action Aid anti-poverty project. A socio-economic survey was conducted by a multi-disciplinary team using mainly RRA techniques. The methodology employed appears to have much in common with farming systems research. A section of the report is devoted to health issues. This includes: nutrition and food availability; mother and child wellbeing, health practices and beliefs; the environment; housing; occupation and health services. The anthropological/ethnographic technique of using case studies of individuals adds a strong human dimension to the study. Separate sections are devoted to women, infrastructure and sanitation, and socio-economic conditions.
This draft section of a paper, which includes the use of formal survey methods including questionnaires, discusses the use of participatory methods in urban research. The introductory section highlights the need for urban based research, with a focus on urban poverty. The aims are: to measure the nature and causes of urban poverty, understand household survival and coping mechanisms, and design policy and programmes. The increase in use of participatory techniques, with their emphasis on communication, a holistic analysis, visual techniques and triangulation could apply equally to urban situations as to rural ones. The process of participatory research, the nature of the information collected and the involvement of communites are outlined. It is argued that conducting "PRA" in urban area may have logistical advantages, and is applicable beyond the scope of poverty analysis. The dangers in application are mentioned, and the paper concludes with a list of tools, such as SSIs, ranking, maps, transects, calanders, timelines and livelihood analysis which are discussed in detail.
The programme of economic reform being implemented in Ethiopia is likely to hit the urban poor hardest. Various schemes have been planned by the government to mitigate the impact, including introducing a system of vouchers to be exchanged with local traders for food and kerosene. The article describes a limited, one-day RUA which was carried out in Addis Ababa as part of an assessment of the feasibility of the voucher system. Information was sought on the characteristics, indicators and measurement of poverty, the type of assistance required, and whether potential beneficiaries would receive information about such programmes. A supplementary question of interest was whether Rapid Appraisal techniques were useful in designing such large-scale programmes.
Over the last year exercises termed participatory poverty assessments have been carried out as part of the process of preparing World Bank Country Poverty Assessments in a number of countries. In Ghana, Zambia and Kenya such exercises have been carried out in rural and urban areas using methods based on the RRA/PRA 'family'. The article questions some of the assumptions underlying the methods, drawing on experiences in Ghana and Zambia. It argues that assumptions of community, mutual knowledge and homogeneity in livelihood patterns derive from the rural-based traditions of the RRA/PRA approach and are not relevant to an urban context.
This paper describes the use of rapid appraisal methods for collecting health data in a poor urban area of Tanzania. During a nine-day field-based workshop with municipal officials rapid appraisal methods were used to collect data and plan interventions in three poor municipal areas. The main technique used was semi-structured interviews with key informants. However, after conducting the interviews it was realised that the participants had no way of assigning any priority to the problems which had been revealed. A second visit had to be made to ask the informants to rank the problems in order of priority. Once the data had been analyzed and priorities for each area identified, the workshop participants considered how to develop a plan of action to respond to the problems. The paper concludes with an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology based on this experience.
The first section is a listing of a number of techniques which come under the umbrella of PRA, RRA or similar participatory research and planning approaches. This ranges from secondary sources, DIY, SSIs and direct observation to maps, seasonal calenders and ranking. Some specific issues involving working with PRA in South Africa are raised, drawing on a number of experiences and covering a number of different aspects of both methodology and behaviour and attitudes. The second section deals specifically with poverty/ vulnerability maps, and the third with indicators of poverty developed using qualitative research methods.
The study analyses a research and development project targeting poor farmers that is being implemented in southern Vietnam. The paper is neither a summary of findings nor a report on project activities. Rather, the focus of the paper is to reflect on issues which emerged as relevant in poverty alleviation, but which are generally ignored or forgotten in reports on development projects. The study highlights how different actors speak subjectively about poverty, and how images of the poor farmer are generated in rural development discourse.
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.