A study of six indigenous peoples' communities involving field research on the main concerns and needs at the local level as well as organisational capacities. This was undertaken by the Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC) so as to facilitate the involvement of indigenous people in the country's democratisation processes. Communites were selected on the grounds of geographical spread and development issues affecting the indigenous groups. The research was carried out during a period of six months, involving secondary data review in the preparation phase and PRA investigation in the fieldwork phase. The latter mainly focused on diagramming visual sharing, and mapping activities. The research aimed to obtain a preliminary assessment of rural indigneous people's livelihoods, especially issues concerning resource tenure and day-to-day existence. In particular, farming and fishing systems were analysed, relationships with outsiders explored and the issue of ancestral domains discussed. The indigenous group profiles are the following: 1) Ifugaos in Malabing Valley, Nueva Vizcaya 2)Manobos in Magpet, North Cotabato 3)B'laans in Polomolok, South Cotabato 4)Tagbanwas in Coron, Palawan 5)Dumagats in Casiguran, Aurora 6)Sulodnons in Lambunao, Iloilo.
The Participatory Approaches Learning Study (PALS) examined the potential for increasing stakeholder participation in DFID country programmes and at DFID's experience of delivering aid through participatory approaches. Its recommendations include proposals on staff development, on ways to make the Project Cycle Management System more flexible and accountable, and on making participation a stronger characteristic of DFID itself. The two-year research project involved separate studies of four of DFID's geographical departments - DFID-India, DFID-Bangladesh, South East Asia Division, and the Western and North Africa Department, which included India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Ghana, Egypt and Nigeria. This report is a synthesis of the main findings and lessons from each of the geographical studies and includes Operational lessons from PALS, Participation and Project Cycle Management, Training Needs and Participation and Institutionalising Participation.
Training in the use of RRA for baseline data collection and target group identification was conducted in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, as part of a joint venture between the Governments of Indonesia and Canada. Nine trainees (from government agencies and NGOs) took part in the six week training, half of which was spent in a remote village area. This report describes the "set routine" of fieldwork, where a mixture of RRA (participatory mapping) and baseline data collection techniques were used. The results of the target group identification strategy are discussed in terms of successes and problem areas. The trainees' responses to using RRA techniques and "the potential for institutionalizing RRA/PRA" into official planning procedures in Indonesia conclude the report.