Fisheries Extension Education (2+1)

Application of PRA and RRA Techniques

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) also called as Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) is a family of approaches, methods and behavior that facilitates local people in expressing their experience, identifying their problems and assisting them in developing solutions for the problems. It is a means to increase the ability of stakeholders to appraise, analyse and plan.

Since the late 1980s PRA approaches have been used successfully to develop policies, programmes and projects across a range of sectors primarily in agriculture and natural resources. The methods used are varied and are continually developing.

Some key principles emphasized in PRA are:

- Participation of local community

- Flexibility in the choice of methods (according to context)

- The need for a team (insiders and outsiders representing relevant disciplines).

- Use of optimal ignoranc (emphasie that just enough information is gathered to make necessary decisions)

- Triangulation to validate qualitative data collected. (using partial stratification of respondents and cross-checking of issues by using different technique)

Some common tools used in PRA include

- Semi-structured interview with key informants

- Focus group discussion

- Preference ranking

- Analysis of temporal variations through daily activity charts, seasonal calendars and time lines (to identify sequencing of events, long term changes on trends)

- Mapping of economic and geographical features and institutional relationships

- Wealth ranking