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Concepts and Principles of RRA/PRA/PLA
Jaya Jung MahatMSW 3rd Semester
St. Xavier’s College of Social WorkNEPAL
Objectives of the Presentation:
Describe key features, advantages and limitations of RRA & PRA
Explain steps for the RRA & PRA
At the end of the session, the students should be able to:Describe brief history and origin of RRA & PRA approachesDescribe the meaning of RRA and PRA
History of RRA/PRA:
Conventional approaches to natural resources management
(Top-down transfer-of-technology)
Farming systems research (FSR)
(Development of alternative, improved and more participatory approaches)
Developed in the second half of the 1970s
Farming systems research (FSR)
Farmer Participatory Research (FPR) (Direct involving the ultimate beneficiaries in on-farm research;
socioeconomic methods developed to consider the interactions between on-farm and off-farm resource management. Recognize the value of ITK)
Developed in the 1980s
Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) (Rapid collection of data by outsiders to achieve a more
comprehensive understanding of the complexity of rural societies)
Began in the late 1970s
Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA)
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) (Development of tools that helped farmers to collect, analyze,
and present their own data and information)developed out of RRA in the early 1980s
Participatory Learning and Action (PLA)(Participation should not only be limited to rural appraisals and the
approach has learning for action as its basic essence)
RRA & PRA can be used for:
General analysis of a specific topic, question, or problem;
Needs assessment; Feasibility studies; Identification and establishment of priorities for
development or research activities; Monitoring and evaluation of development or
research activities; and Identification of conflicting interests between groups.
Defining RRA There is no generally accepted definition of RRA.
RRA is more commonly described as a systematic but semi-structured activity out in the field by a multidisciplinary team and is designed to obtain new information and to formulate new hypotheses about rural life. A central characteristic of RRA is that its research teams are multidisciplinary.
RRA (and analogs) emerged in the 1970s as a more efficient and cost-effective way of learning by outsiders
Principles of RRA
Learning from (and with) the rural people Learning rapidly and progressively
Robert Chambers describes the orientation of RRA as a "fairly-quick and-fairly-clean" appraisal, and as opposed to the fast and careless studies (he calls them "quick-and-dirty" studies) and the slow and excessively accurate approaches ("long-and-dirty").
Park at your own risk!
PRA
Getting to Know
The roots of PRA techniques can be traced to the activist adult education methods of Paulo Freire
Robert Chambers argues that the approach owes much to "the Freirian theme, that poor and exploited people can and should be enabled to analyze their own reality."
Defining PRA
This technique of data collection aims to incorporate the knowledge and opinions of rural people in the planning and management of development projects and programmes.
Not working FOR the people but WITH the people.
Objectives of PRA
Stimulate the community to identify the causes of its problems and collective aspirations;
Facilitate communication with the community; Help the community to identify resources,
experiences, and potential improvement; Identify interests and conflicts; and Motivate communities to develop self reliance in
project development and management
Core Concepts of PRA
Empowerment Respect Localization Enjoyment Inclusiveness
PRA Tools
Semi-structured interviewing Focus group discussions Preference ranking Mapping and modeling Seasonal and historical diagramming.
Methods used in PRA
Secondary data reviews Observation Semi-structured interviews Analytical games Stories and portrays Diagrams Workshop
Tips for doing PRA
Do not lecture: Look, listen & learn Facilitate, do not dominate Do not interrupt or interfere Accept people’s errors Obtain opinions from all groups RELAX Use six helpers: What, Why, Who, When,
Where, and How
Good Features of PRA
“Learning-as-you-go” Principle Innovative Interactive Informal In the community
Key features of the PRA
Triangulation (as a form of cross-checking):
Different disciplines
Insiders/ outsiders
Men and women
Team
Triangulation
(2) Various sources of information (diversity),
Events/processes
People Place
Source of information
Triangulation
(3) A mixture of techniques and tools
Interviews/discussions
Observation Diagrams
Tools & techniques
Key features of the PRA
Interdisciplinary Team
- Consists of members with different skills and professional backgrounds.
- All members of the PRA team should be involved in all aspects of the study, design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
- The PRA team should always include women and, whenever possible, local people. PRA is a learning experience in which the participants also learn from each other.
Key features of the PRA
Qualitative data, diversity of information
• PRA seeks diversity and differences in a qualitative sense rather than simplifying complexity to quantitative averages and statistical figures.
• Accuracy is achieved through drawing from diversified information sources, through cross-checking of data, and other methods for reliability.
Key features of the PRA
Mix of appropriate techniques
Appropriate techniques are mixed to tailor to the specific requirements of the study.
These techniques should be clear, self-evident and simple, appropriate to local conditions and open for any modification that might be suggested by the local people.
Key features of the PRA
Rapid progressive learning, group interaction, and local knowledge
PRA is cumulative learning from, with, and by local people, eliciting and using their criteria and categories, and finding, understanding, and appreciating local people’s indigenous knowledge.
Key features of the PRA
Flexibility and context specificity
Plan and survey methods are only structured to start with, and are revised, supplemented, detailed, adapted, and modified as the PRA fieldwork proceeds. These are to suit each new set of conditions and people involved.
Key features of the PRA
New roles of experts
The PRA methodology is concerned with the transformation of existing activities and practices to improve the livelihoods of local people. The role of the external expert, researcher, extension agent is that of a facilitator helping people to carry out their own surveys and information gathering, thus preparing the ground for action and change.
Key features of the PRA
Community participation
Involving local people in the PRA survey to greatly facilitate understanding, analysis, and interpretation of collected data.
Key features of the PRA
On-the-spot analysis/on-site presentation
Learning takes place in the field, and the analysis of the information gathered should be an integral part of the fieldwork itself.
Results of the field study are evaluated by the entire team, whenever possible, before their departure, publicly presented, and discussed with community members.
Key features of the PRA
Multiple perspectives
PRA recognizes that different individuals and groups make different evaluations of a situation, which leads to different action.
Key features of the PRA
Actions for change
PRA is directed towards changes in perceptions, attitudes, and readiness to contemplate actions. The process of joint analysis and interpretation helps to define changes that would bring about improvement of livelihood conditions.
Benefits of PRA methods
Empowerment of the local peopleSecuring active involvement of the communityDiversification and appreciation of local knowledge,
encouraging/enabling the expression and utilization of local diversity while building on ITK
Creating a culture of open learning with each other and with community members
Setting research prioritiesSetting participatory extension programPolicy review
Some typical dangers and limitations of PRA
Difficulty in getting exact informationDifficulty in finding the right questions to askNot enough time to spend in the villageDanger of ‘rural development tourism’Difficulty in finding the right interdisciplinary teamLack of experience of team members, particularly
lack of skills in the field of communication, facilitation, and conflict negotiation
Team members do not show the right attitude, fail to listen, and lack respect
Some typical dangers and limitations of PRA
Overlooking opinions and demands of women, particularly by male team members
Lack of institutional support and an open learning environment within organizations (centers, departments)
PRA becoming a fashionable label to satisfy public, institutional, or donor expectations for ‘participatory’ approaches
Villagers are occupied with farm workVillagers give unrealistic answers to receive more support
(sometimes be the village headman)Actors involved in PRA research for action activities are not
neutral
Writing results of the PRA The results of the PRA are usually written up, but
reports are most valuable when treated as working documents.
Presenting the results orally is also very important. It is normal that the PRA team members can not put down in writing everything they have learned during the fieldwork.
The report should be written up and presented as soon as possible. Ideally, the first draft should be written ‘in the field’, while information is still fresh in the mind, before interruptions can occur, and while the team is still together.
RRA VS PRA
Category RRA PRA
Major Development Late 1970s, 1980s Late 1980s, 1990s,
Major innovation in Universities NGOs
Main uses Aid agencies, Universities
NGOs, Government field organizations
Key Resources overlooked after
Local people’s knowledge
Local people’s capabilities
Main innovation Methods Behaviors
Outsiders’ Role Obtaining Facilitating
Objectives Data Collection Empowerment
Main actors Outsiders Local people
Long-term outcomes Plans, projects, publications
Sustainable local action and institutions
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