Participatory rural appraisal: a conceptual evaluation for application

Abstract

Participatory Rural Appraisal is most prominent methodology which highly connected with the local people from the grass root level in order to find out the issues they experiencing and construct a standard and sustainable solutions for their practical problems. The main objective of this study is to understand how PRA method has been exercised as a useful tool for community participation, and to highlight the basic components of PRA, and to examine the different techniques of PRA exercised by the practitioners and development experts in the grass-root level. The data for this study basically gathered from books, research report and articles published in the journals. As it is a qualitative study, the concepts and ideas have been analysed and presented in an interpretative method. The paper presented that PRA has been developed from the methodology of Rapid Rural Appraisal, which promoted the involvement of local community in the development process. However, PRA has been adopted as a useful tool to invite greater degree of community participation and allow local people to take decisions in the implementation of any development initiatives. Further, this paper revealed that PRA is used and recognized by various experts and international organizations to incorporate local people to find solutions for their problems, and provide benefit to local community from the projects implemented by the government or donor agencies.