Participatory Action Research in the CGIAR research program on aquatic agricultural systems

The program aimed to build capacity to innovate and to foster more resilient communities and aquatic agricultural systems. In “Aquatic Agricultural Systems” (AAS), CGIAR sought to use research not only as a problem solving device, but more importantly as a device to empower and support people who depend upon aquatic agricultural systems (particularly the most marginalized) in a development process that they themselves define.

This brief describes the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach we are using to implement Research in Development in the AAS program. It is not a guide for implementation of PAR, but rather aims to provide a succinct view of how we believe PAR will enable CRP AAS research to be embedded in the development context such that it supports outcomes.