Resources

This video, produced by the Asian Productivity Organisation, introduces Participatory Project Cycle Management (PPCM) a planning concept used in community driven planning. The training process on PPCM organises learning in a cyclical manner. Important elements of the training are theoretical inputs, close interactions with the villagers, documentation and systematic processing of information generated through interaction with the villagers, critical reflection among participants, and validation of information through feedback sessions from the villagers.

It combines the methods and principles of Project Cycle Management (PCM) and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). PPCM structures the interaction among communities, government and non-government organisations and international partners as a systematic and joint planning process.

In 1999 the Asian Productivity Organisation organised an international training programme on PPCM in collaboration with the Centre of Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) and the National; Productivity Organisation (NPO), Bangladesh. This video is the documentation of that training course

This paper describes a PRA exercise on women's control over household income, expenses and assets. It aims to assist women members of self-help groups, and to understand how best to help them improve their situation. The study is centred on three women from three different families: a resource surplus family, the poorest family of the group, and a family headed by a women from the members of Annapurna Mahila Mandal (AMM) of Sarbindha village in Godda district of Jharkhand. The study compares household income, assets, and expenses.

It provides some advice on data collection, such as it being better to start by asking about expenses rather than income, and the negative influence that intruding men can have on the participatory sessions. The paper outlines the conversations that ensued between the researchers and the women concerning their families' assets and each member's particular responsibilities and income. It concludes by saying that the members were surprised and happy to see that they could keep track of their household income and expenses. They had earlier thought that this lay within the men's domain.

This workshop paper presents six propositions to problematise, and to stimulate thinking around, issues of citizen participation in local governance. First, the author argues that the relationship between government and the governed - throughout the world - is becoming one of distrust and disillusionment. Second, that both citizens and institutions of the state need to work together to rebuild this relationship; citizens need to be more active and engaged, and the state more responsive and effective. Third, that we need to rethink participation in political processes towards an engagement that is more deliberative and which can be understood as a right in itself. Fourth, that citizen participation at the local level can still be exclusionary and not pro-poor, but there is potential for new state-citizen synergies to develop. Fifth, that participatory governance calls for certain preconditions to be created. Sixth, that in the context of globalisation the 'local' needs to be critically examined in terms of discourse, rights, and scale.

This research paper looks at participation and organisational change in Kenya. The paper discusses this broad subject of participation and organisational change and explores the political dynamics of institutionalising participation in complex development programmes. It looks at common assumptions about organisations and how these assumptions affect perception and engagement in the process of institutionalising participation. In this respect it draws on the theme of organisations as machines and organisations as political systems, and shows how the image we begin with frames our thinking and the manner in which we engage in this process.

The main argument of the paper is that for effective institutionalisation of participation organisations need to be viewed as political systems where different interests are represented, conflicts occur and that actors use space provided by the organisations to strategically promote or inhibit the process of institutionalising participation. The study analyses the political dynamics in a Dutch funded programme implemented through the Government of Kenya.

Chapters 1 and 2 provide the background and theoretical grounding of participation and organisational change. Chapter 3 provides a background to Arid and Semi Arid Lands and policies thereof. Chapter 4 presents a step by step case study of a bilateral programme. Chapter 5 presents some findings from the field and offers suggestions toward institutionalising participation as a political process beyond projects and programmatic phases.

This guidebook, produced by the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) and the Southeast Asian Network for Agroforestry Education (SEANAFE), aims to provide the foundation for guiding agroforestry learning in Southeast Asia. It is meant to serve as a tool for educational institutions to address the rapidly changing area of integrated natural resource management. The guide is the result of a collaborative process where members of SEANAFE have drawn on their experiences from agroforestry education and curriculum development as well as agroforestry research and development. It is oriented towards the following: À Providing a general guide about the curriculum development process À Presenting an overview of the contents that should be in focus in agroforestry education À Emphasising that practical exercises are essential for attaining agroforestry education objectives The guide is divided into two parts, the first of which focuses on participatory curriculum development and teaching methods. The second part develops a framework for agroforestry curricula. This includes a look at concepts and principles, at systems, practices and technologies, at institutions and policies related to agroforestry and lastly at advancing agroforestry practices. Since this guide is generic, further elaboration and local adaptation is needed regarding contents and especially regarding the practical exercises. It should be complemented with local information and materials.

This conference paper was written to introduce educational researchers attending the NETREED conference to some of the issues of using PRA as an approach to research. It assumes that readers are familiar with PRA. The paper was intended to complement the keynote speech made by Robert Chambers at the conference. It is structured as four main sections:

- PRA: an approach to education or an approach to researching education? 

- Exploring PRA in the UK teaching and educational research context;

- Educational research and PRA in the South; 

- Issues arising around the use of PRA in educational research.

The author concludes that on reflection, using the visual to communicate more openly and adopting a more participatory and moral approach to research and teaching can be a liberating and enjoyable experience for all involved.

This report, produced by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), is the first title in the Policy and Planning Processes series, and is the result of an internal learning exercise within IIED on participatory approaches to research and development. The report details the steps that IIED took to carry out the internal review and it illustrates the complexity of 'practising what we preach'. After asking why have a participation review and looking at some of the conceptual shifts and debates, it goes on to look at participation in collaborative research, detail some of the methods and tools and takes a look at IIEDs donors and their impact on projects. Finally it provides a summary of findings and recommendations.