Resources

This training manual with a practical reference guide clearly presents the rationale for participatory project development and a step-by-step process for its use in training workshops. Workshop sessions are outlined in a sequence of stages in project development, viz., planning (understanding the community, needs assessment, determination of goals and objectives, assessment of resources and constraints, planning project activities), implementation and evaluation. The use of sample charts, checklists, and worksheets applied to different stages of project development make it easy for trainers to follow the reference guide. The manual emphasises community participation at all stages of project development.

PIDA (Participatory and Integrated Development Approach) has been used in four pilot projects in Kilifi district, Kenya. PRA is an integral part of the PIDA approach : an initiating phase is followed by a PRA phase, then a follow-up phase. This volume discusses in detail the institutionalisation of the PIDA approach within Kilifi district structures. The process of running PRA training, developing community action plans and implementing follow-up is described, with the emphasis on the latter which 'has so far been totally neglected in the PRA literature'. The report is written from a planning and organisational angle, concentrating more on the process of producing plans and reports than on training methodologies.

This manual on community based forestry work from the Nepal Australia Community Forest Project has been written with the problems of the hill regions in Nepal in mind, but it may also be relevant to the forestry challenges in other countries. It is a revised edition of that brings up to date changes brought about by the Nepal Forestry Act of 1993. The aim of the manual is to provide field workers and facilitators ideas of how to go about establishing rapport and working with villagers in forestry management projects. In concise words, it goes through some of the mains issues and gives practical tips and instructions on how to work with the community. The first part of the manual gives a background to the community approach to forestry examining the role of the community forestry worker. Part two looks at the practicalities of working in a village: how to start up a project; the integration of community forestry work with routine forestry work; and how to reach women. Part three examines ways of understanding the village and their relation to the forest: getting information on what villagers need; describing and mapping users; defining interest groups; and conducting surveys. Part four considers approaches for meetings and the practicalities of villager involvement, looking at the need to work together; small groups meetings and interests groups; and committees. Finally part five examines decision making with the organisation of decision making meetings; setting up operational plans; and follow up. The authors emphasise that the guide should be interpreted flexibly. Two appendices list the categories of forest in Nepal (private, community, leasehold), providing a management framework and basic legal information; and a bibliography of references for further reading on community based forestry management.

Training alone will not be able to promote a participatory approach in a top-down bureaucratic institution. Other factors, such as funding base, organisational procedures and institutional priorities, may also have to change. Case-studies from Production Through Conservation programme, Lesotho and Soil and Water Conservation Branch, Kenya, illustrate that "it is possible to change the operational procedures and institutional cultures of large, bureaucratic public agencies, but this transformation is "neither easily nor quickly achieved". Seven conditions necessary for such a transformation are identified from the case-studies.