Resources

The study investigates how the change in participatory thinking towards rural development has led to changes in the practical management of protected areas. It looks at the change from the classical 'top- down' approach of 'protective' conservation science to the current paradigm of 'bottom-up' people oriented approaches to managing protected areas. Whilst it is agreed that protected areas are vital for the preservation of biodiversity, there needs to be a shift from protection 'from people' to protection 'for people'. The thesis shows how participatory methods can work at the human-wildlife interface to resolve conflicts between the farmers, pastoralists, Park Authorities, and 'other interested parties' in the case of deforestation and encroachment in Gashaka Gumti National Park (GGNP) in Nigeria.

This short paper illustrates how PRA can be one useful tool in assessing the hazards, vulnerabilities and capacities of disaster prone communities. After clarifying the terms used, field experiences from Tete, Mozambique are used as an example of how PRA can assist in understanding and incorporating disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness into ongoing programmes. The methods used are outlined, with the type of information discussed for each, stressing local priorities, knowledge and past disaster mitigation strategies. The conclusion is that this type of approach is powerful, and this information discussed critical for effective programme development.

This document describes, in detail, the processes and the outcomes of a training workshop on participatory appraisal methods, the main objective of which was to develop a methodology for the study of urban poverty and violence in Jamaica. The training workshop, which was participated in by over a dozen people including the Bank staff, was carried out in three phases: an introduction to the methodology in classroom sessions, pilot fieldwork and review, and the planning for the main fieldwork . The report provides an example of how PRA tools can be used successfully in studying more sensitive issues in the urban context as well. The fact that a good PRA in practice can help to bring about changes in 'outsiders' view regarding the importance and practicality of PRA tools is demonstrated. The report contains annexes with tables and diagrams.

This book is the outcome of a workshop on participation organised by Duryog Nivaran, a South-Asian network of individuals and organisations concerned with large scale disruptions in society due either to natural disasters or conflicts. This introductory chapter gives a glimpse of papers included in the above book. The papers come from a group who have not only encountered the notion of participation in different capacities but have also understood it in different ways. Four of the seven papers included in the book look at participation primarily in the context of development and development projects; two of the papers look at the link between participation and political process at the macro level and raise questions about the relationship between development projects and political processes in wider society. Finally, one paper attempts to straddle these two worlds. The book contends that it is important to promote healthy critical debates on the concept and the experience of participation in various contexts. However, the emergence of participation as a new development orthodoxy needs to be questioned.

This paper examines the role of PRA (or PLA) in lining relief efforts to development in a situation of disaster. It is argued that in order to understand the best intervention for development, one must understand local survival strategies. The survival strategy is broken down into three components: the desire for independence, the role of infrastructure and the role of an industrious spirit in linking infrastructure to independence. The conclusion is that PRA/PLA can help understand a community's survival strategy, which is a prerequisite for sustainable interventions.

This report describes in detail the structure and operation of village institutions in Katheka Sublocation in Machakos, Kenya, with regard to natural resources management. It concludes that the village is an effective organisational unit to foster participation in project planning and implementation. villagers understand the relation between improved natural resource management and sustainable food production, and institutional structures are already in place in many countries. What is needed is organising and mobilising village institutions. This can be done through training of village leaders, for example by using 'exemplar' villages, carrying out PRAs and developing village resource management plans.

This is a report of a PRA workshop organised by he Near East Foundation held in Cairo, Egypt with participants drawn from; research political and religious institutions, and Sudanese indigenous groups resident in Egypt as refugees. The training was intended to equip the participants in their work with skills to identify problems and address the needs of the communities. The participants carried out a study in five districts with high densities of Sudanese settlers with particular emphasis on needs of women, health needs and overall economic condition.. The main theme of the 10 day classroom and fieldwork training are; Background of PRA methods and accept, PRA approaches in development, Team work and group dynamics, Methods for data collection and analysis and principles of needs assessment. The second part of the report is the summary of findings on the fieldwork conducted: It includes aspects on the economic characteristics of the Sudanese communities, Trading and street selling activities, Factory workers and lay people, income generating activities, expenditure patterns, health conditions, and the institutions and groups that serve the community. Drawing on the recommendations in the second part , a third section of the report is in a project design and proposal that has been submitted to the Ford Foundation. It concludes with a report on a one day workshop to share the findings of the research, a plenary session report and which would be fed into project document.