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Part II Section 1: Introduction Participatory Rural Appraisal Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is a short-cut method of data collection. It is a growing combination of approaches and methods that enable vulnerable people to share, enhance, and analyze their knowledge of life and conditions, to plan and act and to monitor and evaluate. The role of the outsider is that of a catalyst, a facilitator of processes within a community which is prepared to alter their situation1.
Description2 Participatory rapid appraisal is a way of using lots of different community engagement techniques to understand community views on a particular issue. The aim is to enable local people to assess the issue, and make their own plans to address it. It is usually done quickly and intensively – over a two or three week period. A series of methods, including interviews, focus groups, mapping, events and so on are held during this time. The process is designed and led by local people. Good features of PRA •
Iterative
•
Innovative
•
Interactive
•
Informal
•
In the community
The two basic assumptions taken into consideration are: 1. Environmental problems are a common concern, the solution of which requires the active and responsible involvement of the entire community. A community consists of diverse groups of people. They have different viewpoints on the community problem. Some know the problem fully while others may not know it at all, or know it only partially. Similarly, some may be highly vulnerable to the problem, while others may be only partially vulnerable, or not at all. In order to tackle this common problem, the concerns and needs of these groups should be addressed fully. Thus there is a need to identify the stakeholders of the community (farmers, villagers, teachers, local leaders, women, NGO representatives, etc.).
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http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:D_ozYycSriIJ:participation.110mb.com/PCD/PRA_Training/pcdpra
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Module 4:Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)Bishnu B. Bhandari
Comprehensive CAT Plan of Satluj River Basin
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2. The collective action is possible only when all stakeholders of a community develop a clear common understanding about common grievances that they face. An interactive session with the stakeholders made NERIL aware of the various problems that they face in their day to day life. These problems were related to Infrastructural facilities like roads, sanitation arrangements, lack of health centers and dispensaries etc. The villagers also faced other difficulties like accessing fuel during the winters. Thus a PRA gave the different
groups
an
idea
of
the
Catchment Area Treatment project that is being undertaken by the NERIL on behalf of the Forest Department of Himachal Pradesh NERIL also assured them of providing solutions to their grievances which made them develop a sense
of
ownership
towards
the
project.
It is also observed that the locals are a great source of indigenous knowledge. Involving the locals and their expertise also assures greater co-operation during the implementation stage of the project.
Another approach to the Rural Appraisal is a process called Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA). RRA is an extractive research methodology consisting of systematic, semi-structured activities conducted on-site by a multi-disciplinary team with the aim of quickly and efficiently acquiring new information about rural life and rural resources. The basic idea of RRA is to quickly collect, analyze, and evaluate information on rural conditions and local knowledge. This information is obtained in close cooperation with the local people. As a result, the research methods had to be adapted to local conditions. The role of the local population in RRA is to provide relevant local knowledge for research purposes and development planning. It can be noted that RRA mainly aims at extracting information while PRA emphasizes empowering local people to assume an active role in analyzing their own living conditions, problems, and potentials in order to seek a change in their situation. RRA and PRA: These two words are often used in the literature. The difference between them is: RRA Extractive in nature Elicited
PRA Learning with local people Information owned by rural people but shared with outsiders.
Information owned by Outsiders Comprehensive CAT Plan of Satluj River Basin
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Both the PRA and RRA are conducted by a single or group of local representative(s) who know the local language. This is necessary as some of the villagers might not be able to read or write. It involves an oral communication only.
RRA was used whenever the team of NERIL’s consultants visited the locations as a team. Whereas in all cases of interactions by our field investigators and our socio-economic expert / agronomical expert, PRA technique was invariably used.
Layered Stakeholders
In the present study the interest and action groups are of different strata. The decision takers of the HP government mechanism are as much a stake holder as the forest, IPH and revenue officials at local levels. The people of the villages in the MWs are also equal and affected stake holders. NERIL therefore carried out stake holders consultations at all layers of stake holders.
Comprehensive CAT Plan of Satluj River Basin