This paper discusses the development of a participative approach to watershed management in PIDOW, a collaborative programme involving the NGO MYRADA in India. It notes that an areas surveyed by RRA was ecologically degraded and weak in institutions and skills. This led to calls for assisting in design and building of local institutions to manage watershed resources. Effective participation in watershed management requires that the area considered is neither too large nor too small, and that management is decentralised to village groups. PIDOW also emphasises integration of forestry programmes, animal husbandry practices, and credit programmes with soil and water management at the watershed level. This paper explores and explains the rationale for the development of the PIDOW approach.
This paper spells out the strategy of an Indian NGO, MYRADA, in its various programmes. It describes the origins of MYRADA's emphasis on community participation, which led them to implement a process of staff re-orientation and skills upgrading. The resulting strategy is discussed in three sections: (i) how to target the system to bring about long-run structural change in favour of the poor (discussing the rationale, strategy of research with action, and developing change agents); (ii) supporting components of the system and responsive officials involved in poverty eradication programmes (discussing cooperation with government and donors); and (iii) developing a system in which people can develop alternate systems based on traditional patterns and values together with institutional changes which address the needs of the poor.
This paper discusses the impact of adopting PRA on the PIDOW (Participative Integrated Development of Watersheds) project by the NGO MYRADA in India. Initial experience of PRA fieldwork applied to watershed management projects led to the adoption of participatory planning and to sharing of experiences between government teams in local watershed areas. Attempts to further this approach encountered the limitations of government norms, but efforts continued to expand PRA approaches to project planning. The major applications of PRA have been as an entry point in villages and in analysing group problems.
This book presents a participative action model to assist groups in developing the organisational, analytical and management skills required for community action to achieve sustainable use of land and water resources at the local level. Groups using this book are expected to develop participatory mechanisms for planning and implementing land and water management projects. It is aimed at developing self-learning skills by community leaders, extension officers and students in Australia. The contents are divided into short learning units in which outlines of theories, concepts and principles are followed by personal and group activities. The organisation of chapters follows the pattern of group development. It explains the philosophy of participative action in land care (Ch. 2); and discusses learning to work together, development of leadership skills and defining of roles and responsibilities (Chs. 3-5). The next eight chapters are on 'how to' aspects of group functioning: running a meeting, organising activities, planning, motivating oneself and others, effective communication, finding human and financial resources for projects. The last two chapters discuss how to keep momentum going and how to manage conflicts that accompany change.
This chapter from a guide to participatory land and water resource management, designed for community leaders and extension officers in Australia, discusses participatory planning for community action. Its main points are: the planning process consists of situational analysis, goal-setting, selection of solutions, development of implementation plans and monitoring and evaluation; seven steps are given to provide understanding of institutional planning undertaken by various agencies in the district; eight steps work through community planning by developing managerial skills; and eight techniques for improving participatory planning are described in detail. The chapter is written in a comprehensible and interactive style.
This report concerns the use of PRA methods in participatory natural resources management in Kenya. The aim of the study was to learn whether a team consisting of national level staff, a foreign representative, and community leaders could gather data, define problems, rank solutions and devise an integrated village plan for natural resources management with substantial community participation. The bulk of the report consists of discussion of the PRA process, and descriptions of the use of various PRA methods and the results. These include: mapping, transects, time lines, trends, seasonal calendars, interviews and institutional analysis. The problem analysis and solution ranking processes are also described, leading to the adoption and implementation of the village plan. Key findings concerning data collection, participation, the roles of village leaders, technical officers and donor/NGO assistance, and sustainability are discussed. The final sections present general reflections on the use of PRA: raising expectations, majority will/minority sensitivities, and PRA as a flexible approach and as one possible approach among others. This paper is identical to Kabutha, Thomas-Slayter and Ford (1990).
This report concerns the use of PRA methods in participatory natural resources management in Kenya. The aim of the study was to learn whether a team consisting of national level staff, a foreign representative, and community leaders could gather data, define problems, rank solutions and devise an integrated village plan for natural resources management with substantial community participation. The bulk of the report consists of discussion of the PRA process, and descriptions of the use of various PRA methods and the results. These include: mapping, transects, time lines, trends, seasonal calendars, interviews and institutional analysis. The problem analysis and solution ranking processes are also described, leading to the adoption and implementation of the village plan. Key findings concerning data collection, participation, the roles of village leaders, technical officers and donor/NGO assistance, and sustainability are discussed. The final sections present general reflections on the use of PRA: raising expectations, majority will/minority sensitivities, and PRA as a flexible approach and as one possible approach among others. This paper is identical to Kabutha, Thomas-Slayter and Ford (1991).
This reports the proceedings of a workshop which primarily aimed to evaluate the application of RRA in the Philippines, focusing on its strengths and limitations, problems encountered in the field, its impact on development activities and areas needing change and improvement. Discussions relate, among others, to: preparation for RRA; team composition; time constraints; quality; other methodologies; community participation; interviewing; sharing experiences; RRA as research; training; RRA manuals; methods and approaches. A long appendix consists of a draft manual for rapid community systems appraisal. Much of the discussion consists of reactions to a draft report on RRA in the Philippines by T. van Steijn: see van Steijn (1991)
This paper introduces a Government of Sudan project to restore agricultural production and rehabilitate drought affected areas in western Sudan. This is to be done by (i) collecting information on tree and vegetation cover, and (ii) providing assistance to support institutions and communities in forest resource management and conservation. The project's main thrust is a farmer/client -oriented, participatory approach to forestry and research. The organisation of the project and the PRA methods used are outlined, and the activities involved are described in detail. The project involved collaboration between researchers, NGOs and clients (resource users). The advantages and constraints of these linkages are discussed in depth.
This paper describes a project aimed at developing a production technology package for meat and milk goats in Western Kenya, where dual purpose goats (DPGs) are not traditionally raised. Developing an appropriate production system necessitated the characterisation of existing farming systems. The project follows a farming systems approach to research and development. It involved (i) farming systems analysis, (ii) monitoring a limited number of DPGs on farm, and (iii) technical and socio-economic evaluation of technology packages and production systems. The benefits of farmer participation for technology development are examined. The final section discusses collaboration between researchers, government and NGOs.
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 well argued paper makes a case for harnessing the possibilities latent in indigenous knowledge in rural communities as the cheapest and most appropriate way to realise participatory development. It explores in detail the concepts of participatory development and indigenous knowledge of soils, vegetation, climate, pests, veterinary knowledge, agriculture, medicine, and engineering. It then discusses ways to build indigenous knowledge into the participatory agenda: resource inventory/mapping, environmental monitoring, and planning.
This proposal relates to a workshop on collaboration between NGOs and research institutes promoting sustainable agriculture in East Africa. It explains the importance of sustainable agricultural practices and the role of NGOs and public sector institutions in developing appropriate approaches. The workshop focused on participatory research and institutional collaboration. The proposal outlines the workshop activities aimed at accomplishing these objectives, which centred on communication/networking, collaboration and training in participatory approaches.
This excellent paper argues for a contextual grounding for research and development in rangelands. Since R&D is designed to bring about change, how is our understanding of R&D developed, and how is our understanding of 'change' constructed? A distinction is proposed between the perceptions and actions of the researcher. In 'first-order' R&D the researcher remains outside the system studied. This assumes an objective stance and interventions in a closed system. In 'second-order' R&D the action of the researcher is part of the interactions being studied. Perceptions and responsibility are emphasised. The paper focuses on pastoral and agro-ecological applications, but the theory and approach is applicable to other participatory and action based research.
This report presents the results of a PRA focusing on natural resources management in Kenya. It contains descriptions of historical background on the locality, natural resources, water and soil conservation, agricultural practices, discussions of key social issues and infrastructure (health and education) and analysis of institutions and local leadership. Problems and opportunities are identified, and a village resource management plan was devised. Action by the community and other actors as a result of the PRA is discussed, and some problems in implementation are noted. The report ends with reflections on PRA and the participatory planning process. Positive reflections include enabling the community to undertake their own analysis, promoting an integrated view of development, and development of the village plan. Problems included insufficient participation by marginal groups and by women, and the feeling that PRA is inappropriate to statistical analysis.
