PARTICIPATORY

RURAL
APPRAISAL
(PRA) TOOLS
What are PRA Tools?

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools are techniques

and methods used to engage communities in assessing
their needs, resources, and priorities, as well as in
planning and implementing development initiatives.
These tools are designed to facilitate active
participation, collaboration, and empowerment among
community members.

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Examples for PRA Tools..

Seasonal Mobility Focus Group

Transect Walk Trend Analysis
Calendar Mapping Discussions

Agro-
Venn Resource Social Technology ecological
Diagrams Mapping Mapping Mapping Mapping

Daily Routine Key Informant Problem Tree Poverty

Charts Action Plans Analysis Ranking
Interviews

Consequences Matrix
SWOT Analysis Timeline
Diagram Ranking

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 Mobility Mapping - Overview
• Used to explore the movement pattern of an individual, a group, or the community.

• The focus is on where people go and for what.

• A typical mobility map includes

▪ Frequency of visit (from daily to once within 6 months)
▪ Distance (between the places of visit and their village)
▪ Mode of transport (bus or walk)
▪ Purpose of visit (weeding, sale purchase, wage labour, medical facility etc.)
▪ Accessibility (in terms of size – the bigger the size the easier the access)

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Mobility Mapping - Process
1. Select the person/group of interest and explain the exercise
2. List down the places they visit
3. Ask them to write the name of the places on small pieces of paper in bold letters (if the participants are
non literate ask them to use symbols or visuals).
4. Draw a circle in the middle of a paper or ground representing the village and ask them to locate the
pieces of paper with the names of the places they visit, around the circle.
5. Ask them to link the paper pieces to the circle by lines. The thickness of the lines could represent a
particular feature such as the frequency of the visits.
6. Ask them to follow a similar process for all other places that they visit, one by one.
7. Ask them to explain the diagram in detail including,
Purpose of visiting the places Mode of transport
Importance of the places visited Frequency of visits
Distance of the places Whether alone or with someone
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 Matrix Ranking - Overview

• Scoring and ranking using matrices, for systematic comparison of technologies (any tools, techniques,
practices, or innovations that improve the productivity, efficiency, or sustainability) according to a
certain criteria.

• The goal is to gain insights into the factors influencing villagers' decisions about adopting or rejecting
specific technologies.

• It's particularly useful when there are multiple options or criteria to consider, and decisions need to be
made collectively.

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Matrix Ranking - Example
Can be used to,

1. Identify issues related to water (access to clean water, water scarcity, water quality issues, or
inadequate sanitation facilities) based on their perceived importance and urgency

2. Assess intervention options (such as rainwater harvesting, well construction, water purification
systems, or community education programs) based on criteria such as effectiveness, feasibility, cost,
and community acceptance.

3. Prioritize actions in a village (developing action plans, securing funding for priority interventions, or
mobilizing community resources for implementation) based on the identified needs and preferences
of the community.

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Matrix Ranking - Process
1. Define the items or options to be ranked.
2. Prepare a matrix: create a grid with items listed along one axis and criteria for ranking along the other
axis.
3. Bring together a diverse group of community members and introduce the purpose of the matrix
ranking exercise and explain how it will be conducted.
4. Present the first item to be ranked and ask participants to compare it with all other items listed in the
matrix according to a specific criterion.
5. Repeat the comparison and ranking process for each item in the list.
6. Get the total score and final rank of each item in the list.
7. Review the completed matrix to identify patterns, trends, and priorities based on the rankings
assigned by participants.

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 Action Plan - Overview
• Strategic documents that outline specific actions, activities, and timelines for addressing identified
needs, priorities, or challenges within a community.
• Action plans are developed collaboratively through a participatory process involving community
members, stakeholders, and facilitators.
• The plan of work should include the problem, goals to be achieved, the work to be done, who is to
participate in carrying out the plan.
• A calendar of work showing the approximate amount of time to be devoted for each major activity and
distribution of major activities .
• It answers the questions, What, Who, Where, When, How, an activity will be done, the cost, and the
outcome expected out of the action plan.
• Regular monitoring and evaluation are essential to track progress, identify challenges or obstacles, and
make necessary adjustments to the plan as needed.
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THANK YOU!