Fundamentals of Extension Education (1+1)

Sources of PRA

The approaches and methods described as PRA and evolving so fast that the to propose one secure and final definition would be unhelpful. As PRA further evolves, there will be changes in what it can usefully mean. It has been called an approach and method for learning about rural life and conditions from, with and by rural people the prepositions have sometimes been reversed in order to ready by with and from PRA is though more than just learning.
It extends into analysis planning and action. PRA as a term is also used to describe a variety of approaches to cover these a recent description is that PRA is a family of approaches and methods to enable rural people to share, enhance and analyse their knowledge of life and conditions to plan and to act.
Five streams which stands out of as sources and parallel to PRA are in alphabetical order
1. Active participatory research
2. Agrecosystem analysis
3. Applied anthropology
4. Field research on farming system
5. Rapid rural appraisal

Active participatory research
It is nothing but the family of approaches and methods which use dialogue and participatory research to enhance the people’s awareness and confidence and to manpower their action. Activist participatory research in this sense ownes much to the work and inspiration of Paulo Freire Key commonly shared ideas and imperatives that stands out are
1. A poor people are act creative and capable and can and should do much of their own investigation, analysis and planning.
2. Outsiders have a role as convenors, catalysts and facilitators and
3. The weak should be empowered.

Agroecosystem analysis
Agroecosystem analysis was so powerful and practical that it quickly overlapped with and contributed much to PRA. In some cases, either or both lables could be used to describe what was done. Some of the major contributions of agroecosystems analysis to current PRA and have been
1. Transects
2. Informal mapping
3. Diagramming and
4. innovation
PRA represents an extension and application of social anthropological insights, approaches and methods, cross –fertilised with others. Some of the many insights and contributions coming from and shared with social anthropology have been;
1. the idea of field learning as flexible art rather than rigid science.
2. The value of field residence, unhurried participant observation and conservations.
3. The importance of attitudes, behaviour and support.
4. The emic-etic distinction and
5. The validity of indigenous technical knowledge. 
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