Participatory Learning And Action


Mapping for change:

practice, technologies
and communication


participatory learning and action
Participatory Learning and Action,
Rocamora, Jayatissa Samaranayake,
governance. We strive to reflect these
(formerly PLA Notes and RRA Notes), is
Madhu Sarin, Daniel Selener, Anil C Shah,
values in Participatory Learning and Action.
published three times a year in April,
Meera Kaul Shah, Marja Liisa Swantz,
For further information about IIED and the
August, and December. Established in
Peter Taylor, Tom Wakeford, Eliud
Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity and
1988, Participatory Learning and Action
Wakwabubi and Alice Welbourn
Livelihoods (SABL) Programme, contact
enables practitioners of participatory
Cover illustration: Regina Faul-Doyle
IIED, 3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H
methodologies from around the world
Design and layout: Smith+Bell
0DD, UK.
to share their field experiences,
Printed by: Russell Press, Nottingham, UK
Tel: +44 20 7388 2117
conceptual reflections, and
There is no copyright on this material
Fax: +44 20 7388 2826
methodological innovations. The series is
and recipients are encouraged to use it
Email: sustag@iied.org
informal and seeks to publish frank
freely for not-for-profit purposes only.
Website: www.iied.org
accounts, address issues of practical and
Please credit the authors and the
immediate value, encourage innovation,
Participatory Learning and Action series.
Participatory development
and act as a ‘voice from the field’.
Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) is
We are grateful to the Swedish
Contributing to the series
an umbrella term for a wide range of
International Development Cooperation
We welcome contributions to
similar approaches and methodologies,
Agency (Sida) and the UK Department
Participatory Learning and Action. For
including Participatory Rural Appraisal
for International Development (DFID) for
information and guidelines, please see
(PRA), Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA),
their continued financial support of
the inside back cover.
Participatory Learning Methods (PALM),
Participatory Learning and Action.
Participatory Action Research (PAR),
This special issue has been co-produced
Subscribing to Participatory Learning
Farming Systems Research (FSR), M騁hod
with the Technical Centre for
and Action
Active de Recherche et de Planification
Agricultural and Rural Development
To subscribe, please complete the
Participative (MARP), and many others.
(CTA) ACP-EU. We would also like to
subscriptions form at the back of this
The common theme to all these
thank the Centre for International
issue or contact: Research Information
approaches is the full participation of
Forestry Research (CIFOR), Environmental
Ltd. (RIL), Grenville Court, Britwell Road,
people in the processes of learning about
Research Mapping and Information
Burnham, Buckinghamshire SL1 8DF, UK.
their needs and opportunities, and in the
Systems in Africa (ERMIS Africa), the
Tel:+44 1628 600499;
action required to address them.
International Institute for Geo-
Fax: +44 1628 600488;
The methods used range from
Information Science and Earth
Email: info@researchinformation.co.uk
visualisation, to interviewing and group
Observation (ITC), the Secretariat of the
Website: www.researchinformation.co.uk
work. The common theme is the
Pacific Community – EU/SPC
promotion of interactive learning, shared
Development of Sustainable Agriculture
Back issues
knowledge, and flexible, yet structured
in the Pacific (DSAP) project, and the
Back issues 1-50 in PDF format are now
analysis. These methods have proven
Christensen Fund for their support for
available to download free of charge
valuable for understanding local
this special issue. The views expressed in
online. To purchase back issues of
perceptions of the functional value of
this publication do not necessarily reflect
Participatory Learning and Action please
resources, processes of agricultural
the views of the funding organisations or
see the green order form at the end of
intervention, and social and institutional
the employers of the authors.
this issue. All IIED publications, including
relations.
Editors: Holly Ashley, Nicole Kenton and
Participatory Learning and Action back
In recent years, there has been a
Angela Milligan
issues, are available through:
number of shifts in the scope and focus of
Strategic Editorial Board: Ivan Bond,
Earthprint Limited, Orders Department,
participation:
Andrea Cornwall, Nazneen Kanji, Samuel
PO Box 119, Stevenage, Hertfordshire
• emphasis on sub-national, national and
Musyoki, Jethro Pettit, Michel Pimbert
SG1 4TP, UK.
international decision-making, not just
and Cecilia Tacoli
Tel: +44 1438 748111
local decision-making;
International Editorial Advisory Board:
Fax: +44 1438 748844
• move from projects to policy processes
Oga Steve Abah, Jo Abbot, Jordi Surkin
Email: orders@earthprint.co.uk
and institutionalisation;
Beneria, L. David Brown, Andy Catley,
Website: www.earthprint.com
• greater recognition of issues of
Robert Chambers, Louise Chawla, Bhola
We regret that we are unable to
difference and power; and,
Dahal, Qasim Deiri, John Devavaram,
supply, or respond to requests for, free
• emphasis on assessing the quality and
Charlotte Flower, FORCE Nepal, Ian
hard copies of back issues.
understanding the impact of
Goldman, Bara Gu閇e, Irene Guijt,
participation, rather than simply
Marcia Hills, Enamul Huda, Vicky
IIED is committed to
promoting participation.
Johnson, Caren Levy, Sarah Levy, Zhang
promoting social justice
Recent issues of Participatory Learning
Linyang, Ilya M. Moeliono, Humera
and the empowerment
and Action have reflected, and will
Malik, Marjorie Jane Mbilinyi, Ali
of the poor and
continue to reflect, these developments
Mokhtar, Seyed Babak Moosavi, Neela
marginalised. It also
and shifts. We particularly recognise the
Mukherjee, Trilok Neupane, Esse Nilsson,
supports democracy and
importance of analysing and overcoming
Zakariya Odeh, Peter Park, Bardolf Paul,
full participation in
power differentials which work to exclude
Bimal Kumar Phnuyal, Peter Reason, Joel
decision-making and
the already poor and marginalised.


participatory learning and action
now relocated to the Institute of
involved in participatory approaches;
Guidelines for contributors
Development Studies, UK. Practical
• an assessment of the impacts of a
For a full set of guidelines, visit our
information and support on participation
participatory process;
website www.planotes.org or contact us
in development is also available from the
• potentials and limitations of scaling up
at the address below.
various members of the RCPLA Network.
and institutionalising participatory
This initiative is a global network of
approaches; and,
Types of material accepted
resource centres for participatory
• potentials and limitations of
• Articles: max. 2500 words plus
learning and action, which brings
participatory policy-making processes.
illustrations – see below for guidelines.
together 15 organisations from Africa,
• Feedback: letters to the editor, or
Asia, South America, and Europe. The
Language and style
longer pieces (max. 1500 words) which
RCPLA Network is committed to
Please try to keep contributions clear and
respond in more detail to articles.
information sharing and networking on
accessible. Sentences should be short and
• Tips for trainers: training exercises, tips
participatory approaches.
simple. Avoid jargon, theoretical
on running workshops, reflections on
Each member is itself at the centre of
terminology, and overly academic
behaviour and attitudes in training,
a regional or national network. Members
language. Explain any specialist terms
etc., max. 1000 words.
share information about activities in their
that you do use and spell out acronyms in
• In Touch: short pieces on forthcoming
respective countries, such as training
full.
workshops and events, publications,
programmes, workshops and key events,
and online resources.
as well as providing PLA information
Abstracts
We welcome accounts of recent
focused on the particular fields in which
Please include a brief abstract with your
experiences in the field (or in workshops)
they operate.
article (circa. 150-200 words).
and current thinking around
More information, including regular
participation, and particularly encourage
updates on RCPLA activities, can be found
References
contributions from practitioners in the
in the In Touch section of Participatory
If references are mentioned, please
South. Articles should be co-authored by
Learning and Action, or by visiting
include details. Participatory Learning
all those engaged in the research,
www.rcpla.org, or contacting the network
and Action is intended to be informal,
project, or programme.
coordinator: Ali Mokhtar, CDS, Near East
rather than academic, so references
In an era in which participatory
Foundation, 4 Ahmed Pasha Street, 10th
should be kept to a minimum.
approaches have often been viewed as a
Floor, Garden City, Cairo, Egypt. Tel: +20 2
panacea to development problems or
795 7558; Fax: +2 2 794 7278; Email:
Photographs and drawings
where acquiring funds for projects has
amokhtar@nefdev.org
These should have captions and the
depended on the use of such
name(s) of the author(s)/photographer
methodologies, it is vital to pay
Participation at IDS
clearly written on the back. If you are
attention to the quality of the methods
Participatory approaches and
sending electronic files, please make sure
and process of participation. Whilst we
methodologies are also a focus for the
that the photos/drawings are scanned at a
will continue to publish experiences of
Participation, Power and Social Change
high enough resolution for print (300 dpi)
innovation in the field, we would like to
Group at the Institute of Development
and include a short caption and credit(s).
emphasise the need to analyse the
Studies, University of Sussex, UK. This
limitations as well as the successes of
group of researchers and practitioners
Format
participation. Participatory Learning and
are involved in sharing knowledge, in
We accept handwritten articles but
Action is still a series whose focus is
strengthening capacity to support quality
please write legibly. Typed articles should
methodological, but it is important to
participatory approaches, and in
be double-spaced. Please keep
give more importance to issues of power
deepening understanding of
formatting as simple as possible. Avoid
in the process and to the impact of
participatory methods, principles, and
embedded codes (e.g. footnotes/
participation, asking ourselves who sets
ethics. It focuses on South-South sharing,
endnotes, page justification, page
the agenda for participatory practice. It
exchange visits, information exchange,
numbering).
is only with critical analysis that we can
action research projects, writing, and
further develop our thinking around
training. Services include a Participation
Submitting your contribution
participatory learning and action.
Resource Centre (open weekdays) with
Contributions can be sent on paper or by
We particularly favour articles which
an online database detailing materials
email to: The Editors, Participatory
contain one or more of the following
held. The Group also produces a
Learning and Action , IIED, 3 Endsleigh
elements:
newsletter and operates an email
Street, London WC1 0DD, UK.
• an innovative angle to the concepts of
distribution list.
Fax: +44 20 7388 2826
participatory approaches or their
For further information please
Email: pla.notes@iied.org
application;
contact: Jane Stevens, IDS, University of
Website: www.planotes.org
• critical reflections on the lessons learnt
Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RE, UK.
from the author’s experiences;
Tel: +44 1273 678690;
Resource Centres for Participatory Learning
• an attempt to develop new methods,
Fax: +44 1273 621202;
and Action (RCPLA) Network
or innovative adaptations of existing
Email: J.Stevens@ids.ac.uk
Since June 2002, the IIED Resource Centre
ones;
Website: www.ids.ac.uk
for Participatory Learning and Action has
• consideration of the processes

Participatory Learning and Action is the world’s leading informal
journal on participatory approaches and methods. It draws on the

expertise of guest editors to provide up-to-the minute accounts of
the development and use of participatory methods in specific fields.
Since its first issue in 1987, Participatory Learning and Action has
provided a forum for those engaged in participatory work –
community workers, activists, and researchers – to share their
experiences, conceptual reflections and methodological innovations
with others, providing a genuine ‘voice from the field’. It is a vital

resource for those working to enhance the participation of ordinary
people in local, regional, national, and international decision-
making, in both South and North.

ISSN: 1357-938X
ISBN: 1 84369 605 3
International Institute
for Environment
and Development

3 Endsleigh Street
London WC1H 0DD, UK
Tel: +44 20 7388 2117
Fax: +44 20 7388 2826
Email: pla.notes@iied.org
Participatory Learning and Action website: www.planotes.org
IIED website: www.iied.org
Co-publisher: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development (CTA)
PO Box 380, NL 6700 AJ Wageningen, THE NETHERLANDS.
Fax: +31 (0) 317 460067 Email: cta@cta.int Website: www.cta.int