Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal: Starting with the People. A Handbook
Key Guides
Rome; Harare: FAO; SADC Centre of Communication for Development, 2nd ed. (2004), 160 pp.
Contains bibliogr. pp. 159-160
CC-like licence
Signature commbox: 10-Development-E 2004
"This handbook provides a simple, easy to follow step-by-step procedure to plan, conduct and analyze Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal (PRCA) with communities in order to design effective communication programmes. It specifies the appropriate attitudes and behaviors required for the successful implementation of PRCA in the field. The handbook is illustrated with experiences garnered from various grassroots development efforts, especially those assisted by the SADC Centre’s Action Programme for Communication Skills Development in the Southern Africa region and beyond.
Who can benefit from this handbook? This handbook has been prepared primarily as a training and field guide for development workers and extension staff, field workers and communication practitioners. However, the publication could also serve as a valuable text on participatory rural communication research for universities, middle level training institutions and professionals in rural development, communication and extension. This handbook is also intended to be a useful guide for field practitioners, and their managers who need to know what is involved in designing and implementing effective communication programmes to facilitate rural development. Field development workers and extension staff who read this handbook are strongly encouraged to practice what they learn from it with communities in the research, planning and implementation of communication programmes. This is to ensure the success of development projects and ultimately the empowerment of the people. This handbook is only a guide and staff who use it should see it as an inspiration to switch on their own creativity in order to develop and experiment with new and appropriate approaches for more fruitful participatory interactions with the various communities with whom they work." (Page 2)
Who can benefit from this handbook? This handbook has been prepared primarily as a training and field guide for development workers and extension staff, field workers and communication practitioners. However, the publication could also serve as a valuable text on participatory rural communication research for universities, middle level training institutions and professionals in rural development, communication and extension. This handbook is also intended to be a useful guide for field practitioners, and their managers who need to know what is involved in designing and implementing effective communication programmes to facilitate rural development. Field development workers and extension staff who read this handbook are strongly encouraged to practice what they learn from it with communities in the research, planning and implementation of communication programmes. This is to ensure the success of development projects and ultimately the empowerment of the people. This handbook is only a guide and staff who use it should see it as an inspiration to switch on their own creativity in order to develop and experiment with new and appropriate approaches for more fruitful participatory interactions with the various communities with whom they work." (Page 2)
CHAPTER 1: COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION, 5
Sustainable human development: The communication imperative -- Why rural development often fails? -- How can Communication for Development help? -- Communication for Development programme planning and implementation: An overview -- Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal: (PRCA) A definition
CHAPTER 2: SITUATION ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK IN PRCA, 19
Situation Analysis Framework (SAF): Purpose and rationale -- The problem tree: Cause-effect analysis of critical issues -- Role of SAF in communication programme planning and implementation
CHAPTER 3: PRCA METHODOLOGY, 39
Why PRCA? -- Principles of PRCA -- Common biases to be avoided in PRCA -- What a PRCA should accomplish
CHAPTER 4: PRCA TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES, 63
Overview of PRCA tools and techniques -- PRCA tools and techniques for getting to know one another, warming-up and energising -- PRCA tools and techniques to know more about the community -- PRCA tools and techniques for data collection on communication issues -- PRCA tools and techniques for probing and analysing critical issues
CHAPTER 5: BASELINE SURVEY IN PRCA, 71
Rationale and purpose of baseline study in PRCA -- Using PRCA findings to focus baseline studies -- Designing the baseline study proposal -- Implementing the baseline study in the field -- Presentation of study findings
CHAPTER 6: HOW TO PLAN AND CONDUCT PRCA AND BASELINE STUDY, 87
Identify and define the crucial issues -- Prepare and plan for the field -- PRCA data collection in the field -- Analyse and synthesise PRCA findings -- Prepare and conduct the baseline study -- Synthesise and present PRCA and baseline study results -- Ready for next steps
CHAPTER 7: PRCA TOOLBOX, 113
Exercises and Games -- Warm-up 1: Back to back -- Warm-up 2: Let’s sway and move -- Warm-up 3: All people wearing something blue -- Introductions 1: Tell and demonstrate -- Introductions 2: Paired introductions -- Team Buiding 1: Animal game
Team Building 2: The human knot -- Team Building 3: Signals -- Creative Blockbusting 1: Faces -- Creative Blockbusting 2: Wink -- Creative Blockbusting 3: Mighty machine
PRCA Tools and Techniques: Tool No 1: The Problem tree -- Tool No 2: Brainstorming -- Tool No 3: Sketch maps -- Tool No 4: Transect -- Tool No 5: Farm sketches for farming systems analysis -- Tool No 6: Time lines -- Tool No 7: Trend lines -- Tool No 8: Seasonal calendar -- Tool No 9: Wealth ranking -- Tool No 10: Ranking -- Preference ranking without criteria -- Preference ranking with criteria -- Pair-wise ranking -- Relative preference ranking -- Shopping -- Tool No 11: Chapati or Venn diagramming -- Tool No 12: Livelihood mapping -- Linkage diagram -- Tool No 13: Gender analysis -- Tool No 14: In-depth interviews -- Tool No 15: Key informant interview -- Tool No 16: Focus group discussions -- Ten tips for the moderator
ANNEX 1: Example of a PRCA proposal outline for an on-going project, 153
Sustainable human development: The communication imperative -- Why rural development often fails? -- How can Communication for Development help? -- Communication for Development programme planning and implementation: An overview -- Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal: (PRCA) A definition
CHAPTER 2: SITUATION ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK IN PRCA, 19
Situation Analysis Framework (SAF): Purpose and rationale -- The problem tree: Cause-effect analysis of critical issues -- Role of SAF in communication programme planning and implementation
CHAPTER 3: PRCA METHODOLOGY, 39
Why PRCA? -- Principles of PRCA -- Common biases to be avoided in PRCA -- What a PRCA should accomplish
CHAPTER 4: PRCA TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES, 63
Overview of PRCA tools and techniques -- PRCA tools and techniques for getting to know one another, warming-up and energising -- PRCA tools and techniques to know more about the community -- PRCA tools and techniques for data collection on communication issues -- PRCA tools and techniques for probing and analysing critical issues
CHAPTER 5: BASELINE SURVEY IN PRCA, 71
Rationale and purpose of baseline study in PRCA -- Using PRCA findings to focus baseline studies -- Designing the baseline study proposal -- Implementing the baseline study in the field -- Presentation of study findings
CHAPTER 6: HOW TO PLAN AND CONDUCT PRCA AND BASELINE STUDY, 87
Identify and define the crucial issues -- Prepare and plan for the field -- PRCA data collection in the field -- Analyse and synthesise PRCA findings -- Prepare and conduct the baseline study -- Synthesise and present PRCA and baseline study results -- Ready for next steps
CHAPTER 7: PRCA TOOLBOX, 113
Exercises and Games -- Warm-up 1: Back to back -- Warm-up 2: Let’s sway and move -- Warm-up 3: All people wearing something blue -- Introductions 1: Tell and demonstrate -- Introductions 2: Paired introductions -- Team Buiding 1: Animal game
Team Building 2: The human knot -- Team Building 3: Signals -- Creative Blockbusting 1: Faces -- Creative Blockbusting 2: Wink -- Creative Blockbusting 3: Mighty machine
PRCA Tools and Techniques: Tool No 1: The Problem tree -- Tool No 2: Brainstorming -- Tool No 3: Sketch maps -- Tool No 4: Transect -- Tool No 5: Farm sketches for farming systems analysis -- Tool No 6: Time lines -- Tool No 7: Trend lines -- Tool No 8: Seasonal calendar -- Tool No 9: Wealth ranking -- Tool No 10: Ranking -- Preference ranking without criteria -- Preference ranking with criteria -- Pair-wise ranking -- Relative preference ranking -- Shopping -- Tool No 11: Chapati or Venn diagramming -- Tool No 12: Livelihood mapping -- Linkage diagram -- Tool No 13: Gender analysis -- Tool No 14: In-depth interviews -- Tool No 15: Key informant interview -- Tool No 16: Focus group discussions -- Ten tips for the moderator
ANNEX 1: Example of a PRCA proposal outline for an on-going project, 153
