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It draws on the experience of the author with regard to socio-economic surveys carried out in Kenya and elsewhere in East Africa. It considers problems in sampling, farmers' responses, the interview situation, survey staff, and various problems with regard to recording accuracy and data processing. The paper concludes by noting 20 key aspects that should be taken into account when designing surveys. These include: (1) careful selection and training of staff; (2) the importance of learning the farming systems in advance; (3) where possible to choose farmers for whom the key parameters are known from other sources; (4) utilize at least one full time supervisor resident in the survey area with independent transport; and (5) allow two thirds of the total period for activities other than the field survey, ie. data processing.

This report from a 12 day Farm Africa training exercise concentrates on two field based case studies of farmer participatory research, which identify major farmer constraints and opportunities for research. Background to the training structure and PRA methodologies is given only in the appendices. Work in the two field sites was assisted by NGOs currently active in those areas. For each case study, a brief description of the sequence and objective of tools used is given, with numerous diagrams and details of findings. There were large quantities of information generated about each location, both in terms of social aspects and land use, as well as perceptions on agricultural issues. Numerous rankings were conducted, which dealt with all aspects of crops and fodder. Several constraints were identified, along with options for farmer participatory research and experimentation.

This paper argues that the blanket recommendations currently extended under the T & V system are rarely adopted because they fail to be responsive to individual farmers situations. Hence, a decentralised system of decision-making in the extension service and a participatory system of supervision and in-service training is argued for. The difficulties involved in bringing about such a change are outlined and discussed, including the need for time, training and organisational change.

This book arose out of a workshop held in 1999 as part of a programme entitled "Promoting Farmer Innovation in Rainfed Agriculture" (PFI), which was developed by UNDP and piloted in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The book is a joint effort of all those who attended and participated in the workshop and it seeks to examine the lessons of the programme so far. It explores the background to working with farmer innovators; looks at the PFI programme; analyses 74 farmer innovators who have been identified under the programme; looks at issues such as identification, partnership, gender and monitoring and evaluation; looks in depth at scaling up; and finishes with the conclusions to the workshop.

Oxfam's interaction with Mulanje District in Malawi began in 1987/8 with an action research project into poverty in the district. This document provides a complete account of the evolution of the Oxfam Mulanje programme to date. It is based on an analysis of all the project documentation together with in-depth interviews with programme staff, extension workers, communities and other stakeholders. Over the years, a successful model - Institutionalising Participation for Sustainable Livelihoods (IPSL) - for working with institutions at the district level to promote sustainable and replicable development has been developed. This document draws out important learning points, and describes the IPSL model. It provides the background to the programme, pre-1990, both in terms of Mulanje district generally and Oxfam's involvement specifically. It then goes on to look at the first phase of the programme in the early 1990s, where training was provided to government extension staff and other key district figures in participatory approaches to development. The current programme post-1997 is then explored in detail both in terms of its structure and process. It is characterised by partnerships with government extension staff and other institutions, turning over ownership of the programme to them, as well as enabling communities to identify and mobilise to solve their problems, using principles of participatory development for sustainable livelihoods. The focus is on drawing out the lessons learned. Finally, conclusions are drawn on the overall themes and practices that have run through the programme and the overall nature of the Oxfam IPSL model in Mulanje.

L'immense plaine sableuse de Wajir, bordÚe au nord par 'Ethiopie et Ó l'est par la Somalie - isolÚe, sujette Ó la sÚcheresse et rÚguliÞrement soumise Ó l'insÚcuritÚ - compte 300.000 Ó 350.000 Somaliens, dont la plupart sont des pasteurs nomades. La sÚcheresse et les conflits sont les dangers qui les menacent le plus: si des mesures effectives ne sont pas prises, ces menaces peuvent chasser les populations hors des zones rurales et les 'jeter' dans les petites villes des districts ou les zones de commerce, o¨ ils doivent affronter un avenir incertain. La pauvretÚ Ó Wajir n'est cependant pas uniquement une consÚquence de la malchance; elle rÚsulte Úgalement de la nÚgligence et de dÚcennies de choix politiques inadÚquats de la part due pouvoir.

Le WPDE (Wajir Pastoral Development Project) s'emploie Ó changer cela. Ce programme prÚvu sur neuf annÚes, financÚ par le DFID (DÚpartement britannique pour le dÚveloppement international), Comic Relief et l'Oxfam, a dÚmarrÚ en 1994. Il traite Ó un niveau pratique d'une large variÚtÚ de thÞmes relatifs aux moyens de subsistance. Son objectif central est toutefois de renforcer les capacitÚs institutionnelles et le leadership au sein du district - par un travail commun avec les organisations communautaires, des organisations non gouvernementales et des organismes d'Etat au niveau du district.

Le projet a atteint sa troisiÞme phase de trois ans Ó prÚsent et Ó tirÚ des leþons importantes de dÚfis que l'assistance Ó l'organisation sociale et au changement politique reprÚsentent en un lieu tel que Wajir. La premiÞre partie de cet article relate le processus dÚveloppÚ au niveau communautaire, et la seconde fait Útat des tentatives menÚes pour influencer les politiques et les pratiques au niveau du district. La derniÞre partie rÚsume certaines des leþons essentielles que l'on peut tirer de cette expÚrience.
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