Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)

What is PRA used for?

• PRA is a method for collecting data quickly and accurately

• It can be used to collect data in many types of settings, from the illiterate village to the corporate board room

• PRA is used to identify, formulate, implement, monitor and evaluate projects

Types of PRA

• Exploratory: PRA tools and techniques are used to diagnose the current situation • (e.g. health and health facilities, education, farming system, gender

analysis livelihoods etc)

• Topical: Application of PRA to specific area of concern • (e.g. soil fertility, water, specific disease, diet, income etc)

• Problem solving: Diagnosis of problems and suggestions of solution with participation of people

Assumptions of PRA

• Community development issues of all types are a

common concern to all in the group. Solutions to these

issues require the active and responsible involvement of the

entire community

• Collective action is possible only when all stakeholders

of a community develop a clear common understanding

about the issue

• Communities have knowledge, information and

resources but it needs to be organized and mobilized

Participation• Spectrum of weak to strong participation

7 Principles for PRA

1. Capture only what is important: avoid irrelevant data

2. Listen First: don’t make assumptions about what communities need

3. Triangulate: use more than one source of data to cross-check

4. Learning takes place in the field with the people, not in the office

5. Innovate: don’t follow a set-approach; explore new questions, themes

and techniques as data is generated

6. Data & results is owned by the local people, not the researchers

7. PRA is informal, interactive and fun!

Roles Played in PRA

“WE” (the facilitators): • establish rapport (create a learning environment)• convince, facilitate, encourage• hand over the stick to the • watch, listen, learn support

 

“THEY” (the participants):• Map, model, diagram• Score, compare, rank, estimate• Show, explain

Steps in PRA

1. Define the objectives of the PRA

2. Site selection and clearance from local officials

3. Preliminary visit & socialize PRA

4. Data collection

5. Data analysis

6. Ranking problems

7. Formulate and rank opportunities

8. Implementation

9. Adoption of action plans

PRA Tools & Techniques1. Maps Models & Diagrams

• Pictorial representations of data

2. Time Related Data Analysis

• Examines events, trends & activities over time

3. Ranking & Scoring

• A way in which various kinds of things can be compared

according to different qualities people value

4. Semi-structured interviews

Maps, Models & Diagrams

• Community Map• visual representation of what

the community perceives as their space;

• includes details of importance to the community

Maps, Models & Diagrams• Transect Walk

• Describes variation across the community area

• Community members walk through a transect defined on the community sketch map

• Discuss characteristics & issues as they walk this line

Maps, Models & Diagrams• Mobility Diagram

• Maps accessibility to resources, goods, services

• Venn Diagram• identify groups and institutions operating in the community and to

show how they interact with each other

Time Related Data Analysis• Time Lines

• A list of key events in the history of the community

• Trend Lines• Residents’ perceptions

of changes in the community over time – (e.g. environmental, economic, social trends)

Time Related Data Analysis

• Seasonal calendar• Depicts regular cycles or

patterns of activities within a community over 12 months

• Gender daily calendar• Depicts how daily activities are

conducted along gender lines

Ranking & Scoring• Preference ranking, Pairwise ranking, Direct matrix

ranking, Direct matrix scoring• allow us to see priorities among different problems or

solutions; criteria scoring to define why people choose one item from the other

• Proportional Piling• helps to obtain data from respondents in percentages. It

shows relative values of items to be compared.• Useful for when no exact data exists and relative values

must be used

Ranking & Scoring

Wealth Ranking

• Used to understand relative

wealth within a community;

indicates local criteria for

well-being

Semi-structured interviews• Major topics and a few key questions are formulated

before the interview;

• New questions & themes are explored during the interview based on answers to the key questions

• Can be conducted individually or in groups

• Questions & themes should be based on prior observation by interviewers who have spent time in the community

Participatory Problem Analysis

• Sub-groups in the community discuss what they enjoy and what they struggle with in their community.

• Groups come together to share key points / issues and issues are ranked

• Examine the historical context of the problem & what solutions have previously been tried here or elsewhere

• Begin identifying potential activities to address problems, using ranking & scoring tools to select better options

Strengths of PRA

• Local people do the analysis and plan for the future using their own

values, priorities & needs as the basis.

• The different perspectives on daily reality & visualisation offer good

opportunities to explore beyond obvious and dominant points of view

• The methodology is open to modification; everybody can develop

new tools and new ways of organising things

• PRA can be used to collect data; local people are able to generate

and/or collect reliable data

• Versatility: Appraising, designing, implementing, monitoring, and

evaluation programs and projects

Weaknesses of PRA• Working in situations in which the problem is not usefully

addressed at the local or group level – e.g. broader structural problems at national level

• PRA can be done badly. This happens where:• PRA is implemented mechanically; ‘going through the motions’

without really listening to the participants;• Technical issues are prioritised over socio-cultural issues• Local diversity is ignored, minority voices not heard• PRA is conducted, but results are not used in the follow-up – it

becomes ‘tokenistic’ consultation.