rapid rural appraisal

359 Pages·2010·10.38 MB·English

PROCEEDINQ OF THE 198,

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

ON
RAPID RURAL APPRAISAL

Khon Kaen University
Rural Systems Research and Farming Systems Research Projects
Copyright© 1987 by Khon Kaen University (except where otherwise noted)
Resale, reproduction or redistribution for pro!it is expressly

prohibited. Reproduction on a non-profit basis is permitted,

provided copyright notice and title page are itot removed.

ISBN 974-555-251-8
Published by Rural Systems Research Project and
Farming Systems Research Project for Khon Kaen
University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Printed by Siriphan Press,
Khun Kae, , Thailand
The International Conference on Rapid Rural Appraisal was held in Khon Kaen,
Thaland, September 2-5, 1985. It was sponsored and supported by the personnl of
the KKU-USAID Farming Systems Research Project and the KKU-FORD Rural
Systems Research Project, Khon Kaen University. Additional support, assistance
and advice were provided by personnel from the Institute of Philippine Culture,
Atenco ie Manila University, Philippines, the regional office of the Ford Founda­
tion, Jakarta, Indonesia. and tile Environment and Policy Institute, East-West
Center, Ilonolul, Ilawaii, especially Drs. Romana de los Reves (IPC), Frances
Korten (F()RI)', and Christopher Gibbs (EAPI). Planning and coordination of the
conference's day-to-da\ activi'ies were done by a steering committee composed of
Drs. Michael Calavan,. Terd 'harvenwatana, ('hiistopher Gibbs. Soinluckrat
(Grandstaff.,Terry (randstaff. Neil Jamieson, alnd Mcrl,,n Kettering. The Audio-
Visual Unit of the Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University. provided technic­
al support for the conference, and M~r. lPanomsak Promburom re-drafted the
figures and diagrams for publication in this o(lume. Principal funding for the
conferenc tld fbr the first printing of this volume was provided by the Ford
Founda~tionl.

The correct citation for referencing this volume is:
Khon Kaen University. 1987. Proceedingsot the 1985 InternationalConfer­
ence on Rapid Rural Appraisal. Khon Kaen, Thailand: Rural Systems Re­
search and Farming Systvins Research Projects.
To obtain copies of this volume please contact:
Dr. Terd Charoenwatana

Leader, FSR and RSR Projects

Faculty of Agriculture

Khon Kaen University

Khon Kaen 41(X2, THAILAND
CONTENTS
THE AUTHORS
PART I: SUMMARY REPORT
Somluckrat W. GrandstaJf, Terry B. Grandstaff,

and George W . Lovelace .......................................................... 3

PART II: TIlE NEED FOR RRA, ITS EVOLUTION AND UNDERLYING

CONCEPTS

Shortcut Methods in Social Information Gathering for Rural
)evelopment Projects
Robert (h amhers .........................................3.3.
.........................

Rapid Appraisal: The Evolutior of the Concept and the Definition of
Issues
James Beebe ...............................................
47
A Cenceptual Baris for Methodological Development in Rapid Rural
Appraisal
Terry B. Grandstaffand Sonhwkrat W. Grandstaff ........................ 69

The Paradigmatic Significance of Rapid Rural Appraisal
N 'il J(m ieson .................. ..................................................... 89

PART III: THE RANGE OF METHODOLOGY: IMPORTANT
METHODS, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES IN RRA
The Use of RRA in Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Studies
DavidE. Thomas and Nonglul, Suphanchaitnat ............................ 105

Basic Field Techniques for Rapid Rural Appraisal

R obert E . Rhoades ..................................................................
114
Semi-structured Interviewing by Multidisciplinary Teams in RRA
SonluckratW. Grandstaff and Terry B. Grandstaff ......................... 129
Conceptual Tools for RRA in Agrarian Society
Viriya Litninuntana ........................................................
144
vi Contents
Appraisal of Rural Resources Using Aerial Photography:
An Fxample from a Remote Hill in Nepal
B rian Carson .........................................................................

174

PART IV: CONTEXTS AND TYPES OF RRA APPLICATION
Rapid Rural Appraisal: An Overview of Concepts and Applications
ChristopherJ. N. Gibbs ....................................1.9..
......................

How Rapid Rural Appraisal and Other Socio-economic Diagnostic
Techniques Fit into The Cyclic FSR/E Process
D anielGall ...........................................................................

207
Rapid Rural Appraisal and Agroecosystem Analysis: A Case Study from
Northern Pakistan
Gordon Con w ay .........................................2.28. ..........................

Sociotechnical Profile: A Tool for Rapid Rural Appraisal
Romana I. de los Reves ...................................2.55. ......................

Rapid Rural Appraisal: Experience at Khon Kaen University
Alantana Samin rl....................................2.8.2 ...............................

Fuelwood Situation and Farmers' Adjustment in Northeastern Thai
Villages
Sukae'sinee Subiadhirti Nongluk St~aianchaimat,Suriva Smutkupt,
Suchint Simaraks, Weera Iakwkihai, Nalava Suphanpesat
,
Panada Petchsingha .....................................2.9.9. .......................
PART V: Bibliography on Rapid Rural Appraisal ................................. 327

A PPEND IX I : Agenda .....................................................................

343
APPENDIX 2 : List of Conference Participants .......................3.4.6. ............
The Authors vii
THE AUTHORS

James Beebe Somluckrat 'A' Grandstaff

Chief KKU-Ford Project on

Agricultural Development Division
Rural Systems Research

USAID/Philippines
Faculty of Aiculture

Manila, Philippines
Khon Kaen University
Brian Carson Khon Kaen, Thailand
Senior Soil Scientist Terry B. Grandstaff

Kenting Earth Sciences Ltd. KKU-Ford Project on

(mailing address:
Rural Systems Research

No. 102, 2320 W40tn Ave., Faculty of Agriculture

Vancouver B.C., Canada) Khon Kaen University

Khon Kaen, Thailand
Robert Chambers
Fellow Neil Jamieson
The Institute of Development Studies Research Fcllow

University of Sussex Environment and Policy Institute

Brighton, United Kingdom East-West Center

Gordon Conway Honolulu, Hawaii USA
Professor Viriya Limpinuntana

Center for Environmental Technology Lecturer/Researcher

Imperial College of Science and
Farming Systems Research Project
Technology Faculty of Agriculture
London, United Kingdom Khon Kaen University
Khon Kaen, Thailand
Daniel Gait
Farming Systems Support Project George W. Lovelace
Institute of Food and Agricultural Farming Systems Research Project
Science Faculty of Agriculture
University of Floridl Khon Kaen University
Gainesville, Florida USA Khon Kacn, Thailand
Christopher J.N. Gibbs Weera Pakuthai
Reearch Associaze Lecturer
Environment and Policy Institute Department of Agriculturaj Economics
Ea..-West Center Faculty of Agriculture
Honolulu, Hawaii USA Khon Kaen University
Khon Kaen, Thailand
viii The Authors
Panada Petchsingha Nongluk Suphanchaimpt
Lecturer Assistant Professor
Department of Social Sciences Department of Agricultural
Faculty of Humanities and Economics
Social Sciences
Faculty of Agriculture
Khon Kaen University
Khon Kaen University
Khon Kaen, Thailand
Khon Kaen, Thailand
Romana 1. de los Reyes Kalaya Suphanpesat
Research Associate Lecturer
Institute of Philippine Culture Department of Social Sziences
Ateneo de Manila University Faculty of lumanities and
Manila, Philippines Social Sciences

Rehbert E. Rhoades KKhhoonn KKaaeenn, UTnhiavielarsnidty

International Potato Center

Lima. Peru
David E. Thomas
Mantana Samart Joint Doctoral Research Intern
Msant Psr Environment and Pol:cy Institute
Assistant Profess;or East-West Center
Department of Social Sceinces Honolulu Hawaii USA
Faculty of Humanities and
Social Sciences

Khon Kaen University

Khon Kaen, Thailand

Suchint Simaraks
Associate Professor
Department of Animal Science
Faculty of Agriculture

Khon Kaen University

Khon Kaen, Thailand

Suriya Smutkupt
Lecturer
Department of Social Sciences
Faculty of Ilumanities and
Social Sciences
Khon Kacn University
Khon Kaen, Thailand
Sukaesinee Suhhadhira
Lecturer
Department of Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and
Social Sciences
Khon Kaen University
Khon Kaen, Thailand
PART I SUMMARY REPORT
SUMMARY REPORT
Somluckrat W. Grandstaff, Terry B. Grandstaff

and Gcorge W. Lovelace

INTRODUCTION
In the late 1970's a good deal of enthusiasm was generated for dhe use of Rapid
Rural Appraisal (RRA), an emerging new methodology which seemed to hold
much promise for improving the cost-effectiveness, timeliness and quality of rural
development-related research. A workshop and conference on RRA were held at
the Institute of )cvelopment Studies. Univcrsity of Sussex in 1978 and 1979.
Papers and articles began to be circutedtcd (cg.. Chambers 1979. 198(0; Colliison
1981; Ilildebrand 197), 1)81: 1lonadle 1979, 1982: Rlioades 1980, 1982 - see
'Bibliographv on Rapid Pural Appraisal'). lBv the mid-1980's, experience had
increased considerably through various applications by igrowing nuinber of adhe­
rents, scittcrcL throughout tile world. Lessons had been learned a1d methodology
was gradually developed and refined. While RIRA practitioners continued to find
that fle flexibility insights and rapidity of' RRA iiade it attrictive and useful, there
was increasing interest in methodological concerns, specifically, interest in deter­
mining wh:nt inade good RRA,what tihe rainge aid limits of methodology were, and
\\hal circumstances affected its successful application. Such conlcerns could only be
addressed through a pooling of experience, thus the tiiie seemed right for an
international conference of RRIA practitiotiers to draw lessonus fr ttie experience
that had taken place and to begin a proccss of setting these down. This conference
would inim to identify emerging principlcs, methodological and conceptual
frameworks, processes, guidelines, tools and techniques; to compare ind contrast
them: to dliscuss their advantages and disadvantages under various conditions; and
then to make detailed findings widely available. At the operational level, itwas
already clear that RRA was never the same in every circumstance, thus an tinder­
lying intention would be to begin stocking a 'supermarket' of' RRA lessons, tools
and techniques useful to current and future RRA practitioners.
The International Conference on Rapid Rural Apprais; ' was held in Khon
Kaen, Thailand, during tile period September 2-5, 1985. It was hosted by Khon
Kaen University, with futding from the Ford Foundation. Tile conference brought
together over seventy participants from Itdonesiai, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sing­
apore, Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Peru, Australia, the United Kingdom,
Papua New Guinea, Canada and the United States. One third of the participants
were experienced RRA practitioners who served as resource persons during the
conference with the temainde- composed of persons who were interested in learn­
ing about the methodology but with little or no actual experience in RRA.
4 Proceedings of 1985 RRA Conference
Activities at the four-day conference included fifteen presentations, four panel
discussions, and many small-group discussion sessions in which cveryone partici­
pated. Presentations and discussions spanned four major areas of concern:
(1) The need for RRA, its evolution and u.derlying concepts­
(2) The range of RRA methodology - important methods, tools and
techniques;
(3) Contexts, issues and types of application: and
(4) Assessment of methods and contexts to set out guidelines for RRA metho­
dological development ant trainingw needs.
All participants were provided opportunities to ask questions and to raise
issues for clarification alld discussion. Participants were seated around eight tables
during the conference. Scaling at each table was arranged so that disciplinary
backgrourd. country representation, and RRA experience were niixcd. Discussion
illiong tile meruibers of each table group followed each presentation. To initiate
each discussion, tie individual participants at each table were asked to note what
they considered tile Most impul ranistsues ill the presentatiu. I)fieernces of
opinion as well as points of agreement then providetld the basis for the discussion.
Following table discussions. group ra pportelrs shared principil discussion point
with all conference partrcipants %erbally and bv use oif trarsparencies arid photo­
copied materials. Some of tile issues arid qlUreStionis raisc,.d were addres;d by
individuals while others were considered by sm:dl working groups. On thc after­
noo n otile third day, five field trips, led by Khon Kacn University RRA .-esear­
chers knowledgeable on pro-identified topics, were condUctt:d siriultaneoursly in
five villages. The conference concluded with i a plenary session oi 'Reflections,
Realities and Frortiers' of Rapid Rural Appraisal.
Although the major areas of concern provided ;in overall organizat onal
framework, much of the conference's day-to-day activity was organized ili an
iterative, developmental Inianier, rather thaii ill a more conventional pre­
determined format. This irganizational process was made possible by the participa­
tion of a specialist in innovative management techniques ')r. Merlyn Kettering of
the )evelopment Programi Management C'enter. U.S. Department of Agriculture).
In the reniaind; r of this suimary report we provide an overviw cf the
discussions and findings of tile conference. To dO so, ss'c have relied upotn the

papers presented, our own
notes, the notes of tie disc.ussion group rapporteurs,

and audio and video recordings of the entire conference. It should be kept inimind,

however, that ill attempting to report on
and synthesize these materials, it is not
possible to cover all topics or all expressed points of view. The diverse back­
grounds, experience and expertise of the seventy-plus participants resulted in
wide-ranging, free-wheeling, and soletilies 'spirited' discussions that not alwayii
ended in total agreenient. The diversity, excitement, and value of these discussions
are also difficult to capture in a written essay which necessarily impo';ss structure
and requires selectivity.
Il presenting what we believe to be tile more salient points of RRA and ideas
about it from the conference, we have further decided against trying to attribute
particular ideas and points of view to particular participants. In many cases, it wa.s
not possible to trace an expressed idea back to its original source, even with