Manual - Participatory rapid diagnosis and action ... - FAO.org

PRDA Manual 165Learning goalsAt the end of the training, front line extension workers and trained farmers:1. have a better understanding of the four constituents of irrigatedagricultural systems and their interactions and can independentlydetect major technical problems in the field;2. are able, under the guidance of senior staff, to plan and conduct a rapiddiagnosis together with counterparts;• have a basic knowledge of participatory methods for analysingperformance, ranking problems, and identifying possible solutions;• are able to select suitable tools for rapid diagnosis;• have the skills and attitudes to use these tools effectively;3. are able to process the collected information to identify and classifythe main limiting factors and possible solutions;• can combine their own and others’ knowledge/skills to identifypossible solutions;4. are able, with the assistance of senior staff, to use diagnostic results toformulate an action plan with farmers;5. are more responsive to farmers’ needs in schemes targeted during thetraining by:• being aware of the main problems or causes of poor irrigationperformance;• knowing what assistance farmers expect from them to improvesuch performance.In addition to the above, the senior participants6. are able to design and coordinate a Rapid Diagnosis and ActionPlanning of irrigated agricultural systems;7. can write a report that is accountable and reflects Rapid Diagnosis resultsand Action Planning in a way that is easily understandable to outsiders;8. know the main problems faced by farmers and front line extensionworkers that can be associated with/attributed to design and turnoverprocedures of irrigation schemes.Pedagogic principlesThe pedagogic principles used were based on “learning-by-doing” and “learningfrom-each-other.”Classroom training is done before field work to provideguidance and after field work to capitalize on the lessons learnt. Both field workand classroom training aim to put participants in a position where they have tomobilize knowledge of trainers, farmers and key informants to carry out a job