Resources

A report on a 9 day RRA training exercise, which discusses the rationale behind the use of RRA, details four days of field experiences and detailed reflections on both the content of the course and the field training. Both positive aspects and concerns were expressed. The participants on the training course were split into three groups for field work, and the second section of the report illustrates their experiences in the form of case studies. A brief description and history of each village is followed up with detailed information about seasonality, cropping patterns, food processing, nutritional and livestock issues. There are numerous illustrations. As well as an analysis of farmers constraints there is a detailed discussion on the methods and approach used.

Participatory techniques are being used to a greater or lesser degree and in a variety of ways by more and more evaluators. This case study is a description of the methodology used during the participatory evaluation the author facilitated of the World Neighbors programmes in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Togo and Mali). During the one-week evaluation process in each of three programme sites a variety of participatory techniques were used, including PRA with villagers, focus group discussions, interviews with community leaders, roundtable discussions with representatives of other agencies working in the local area etc. But, did this process meet the needs of all stakeholders? At the village level participants gained new perspectives on the effect of the programme on their lives. The programme staff learned how to improve monitoring, routine evaluation, analysis and reporting. At the Area-wide Strategic Planning Conference, ideas and recommendations from the evaluation process shaped new action plans. Hence, the author argues the effectiveness of a community development programme should be measured in terms of how it influences decision-making by all stake-holders with responsibility for future plans.

This is a project proposal developed by the Dry lands and Sustainable Agricultural Programmes of the IIED for a four programme, 1993-96 in Participatory Planning Methods in some Sahelian countries; Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Senegal. Although it focuses on MARP, it traces the history of PRA and RRA. It looks at the IIED's support of MARP in the Sahel. The strengths and weaknesses of MARP are discussed, with a reference on MARP and PRA.

This paper reports on research carried out on the use and effectiveness of participatory materials on child health, which were developed at community workshops, by the Kumasi Health Education Project in Ghana.
A high degree of satisfaction with the new materials was reported by teachers and health workers who had been trained in the new materials, when asked to carry out self-reporting questionnaire. This was found to contrast with the results of focus-group discussions of mothers attending well baby clinics, at home, in market places and with pupils at school who reported a low level of exposure to the new materials, although those who had been exposed to them were satisfied with them and recalled the messages well.

This article outlines how a participatory approach was used in five villages to investigate systems of access to fishing rights and their evolution as a basis for future fisheries development initiatives. Particular attention was paid to conflicts and disputes which had emerged over such rights and conflict resolution process charts were constructed by village elders to show how disputes had been resolved in the past.

Description of research into agricultural credit bank in a number of villages in Guinea using semi-structured interview with groups and individuals and informal discussions.