Participatory Research Methodologies

Participatory approaches to research are a core part of the FFT program as they enable not only the collection of data but also harness the knowledge of farmers to inform learning activities and future research directions. Through an appreciative inquiry approach, the program can identify and build on what works at the individual, family and cultural levels. This can then be used in iterative participatory action research cycles, during which both the community and the research team develop deeper understandings and identify new research questions. The research outcomes therefore resonate and can be used by communities at the same time as providing information that can be shared with other communities and via conventional research dissemination.

Exploring family and community strengths

These activities are useful at the start of a project as they enable a positive engagement with families who can immediately use much what they have learned from the group activities:

• A day in the life of a farmer
• Community asset mapping
• Personal network mapping
• Family and community calendar
• How does our community earn money
• Community dreams and hopes
• Talking tables
• Ten seed technique
• Photo voice
• Drawing

Planning community building

These activities help communities to collaboratively analyse their community strengths and opportunities and plan further development activities:

• Community learning plan
• Social organisation mapping

Monitoring and evaluation

These group-based activities can be used across the life of a project, in both mixed groups or smaller groups divided by age and gender.

• Participatory Evaluation in low literacy communities
• Photo language kit
• Trigger cards
• Barometer of change
• Wheel of Knowledge
• One step removed
• Stories of change
• Ripple effect mapping

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