Rapid rural appraisal (RRA) is a repertoire of informal inquiry techniques used to collect and analyze data about local situations and people. The findings are shared with the community and usually result in community actions or changes. Developed in the 1970s and 1980s to counter problems associated with outsiders conducting inquiries in developing economies, the approach draws on various inquiry methods including some from anthropology.

To help ensure that findings are valid, RRA relies upon ‘triangulation’: cross-checking information by talking to different stakeholders, using different methods (interviews, diagrams, and observations) and having a multidisciplinary team (men, women, insiders and outsiders).

Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) evolved from RRA. PRA emphasizes local knowledge and enables local people to make their own appraisal of a situation. RRA and PRA share common methodology, but PRA researchers help local participants to conduct their own research. PRA is often used by development organisations in lower income countries to catalyze community-driven action. Originally developed for use in rural areas, modified versions of RRA and PRA have begun to be used in developed economies, with the emphasis on multidisciplinary teams and semi-structured interviews.

PRA can be defined as:

“A growing family of participatory approaches and methods which enable local people to share, enhance and analyse their knowledge of life and conditions. From the information generated as a result of PRA activities, it is possible for all program stakeholders to be given an active role in the planning, implementation, management and evaluation of development initiatives” (based on Chambers 1994, p. 1253)

Participatory Learning and Action at Clear Horizon

Jess began her career in overseas development and has facilitated numerous PLA exercises and provided training for several organisations. She first experienced it in Mexico, and used PLA techniques to plan projects with Mazoan indigenous people, and Mayan people. Jess also did extensive PLA facilitation in Western India with a variety of tribal communities in Rajasthan, Gujarat and MP. Jess has also facilitated some PRA work with Koori people in New South Wales, Australia as well as a host of other settings. Tracey Delaney was first exposed to PLA while working with repatriated communities in El Salvador in 1994 and has used in a number of contexts since. Zoe Dawkins also facilitate PRAs.

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