Old Wine in New Bottles?

Much PRA has been through NGO, although government organizations are increasingly recognizing the need for participatory approaches. This is a greater challenge, as these organizations have a greater institutional inertia, requiring more time for real change to occur. This is illustrated by a programme in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. Several problems commonon to government organizations are discussed. Pressure to acheive unrealistic targets leads to critisism over the slow process of participation which may result in a desire to revert to faster top down approaches. Funding agencies are geared to blueprint planning, not a process approach. Pre-defined packages and resources do not sit easily with participatory management plans - the type of support offered does not co-incide with that demanded. Government staff are less flexible for specific project requirements, may be more entrenched in their ways and have fewer incentives to change the pattern of their behaviour and attitudes. Training is required which is different from standard training, focusing on reversals and facilitation, and which is time consuming. Reorienting staff in a compartmentalised structure is difficult, as is maintaining their interest over time. Despite this, the benefits of PRA are seen to be many, although there is a long way to go before their widespread and wholehearted adoption.