Abstract
Increasing attention has been given to participatory methods in agricultural research and rural development. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) has become popular among nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and applied researchers in development. This paper analyzes PRA with respect to its usefulness for NGOs, drawing upon the outcomes from two experimental PRA workshops conducted with a Chilean NGO. Emphasis is given to discussing farmer participation in PRA and its empowerment effects. It is argued that PRA is potentially empowering if it is situated within broader long-term social and political strategies guiding the interactions between rural community and external organization.
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Additional information
Thomas O. Sikor is currently finishing his Master's degree (M. A.) at the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, pursuing work on agroecology and farmer participation in rural development strategies. He came to the Energy and Resources group with economics training from the University of Bonn, Germany, and was in the Economics Department at UC Berkeley as an graduate exchange student. His research interests include natural resources management and the interactions between social and ecological processes in development. He plans to conduct his dissertation research on the impact of economic liberalization policies on the institutions regulating resource use. His research experience includes research on the economic, cultural, and ecological impact of tourism in Nicaragua and an economic evaluation of alternative coastal zone development strategies in Viet Nam.
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Sikor, T.O. Participatory methods and empowerment in rural development: Lessons from two experimental workshops with a Chilean NGO. Agric Hum Values 11, 151–158 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01530456
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01530456