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

PRDA Manual 71C - Collect secondary informationCollect literature (secondary data) on the information scheme and itssurrounding area.1D - Report design characteristicsBefore starting the actual field work it is important to have a basic idea ofwhat the irrigation scheme will look like. It can also be a baseline againstwhich to compare the actual situation on the ground (for instance if thereare fewer farmers on the scheme than intended during the design, this canindicate some kind of land tenure problem). Reading design documents,topographic maps or soil maps can already indicate where constraints arelikely to be expected.Preparation REPORTStep 2: Diagnosis2A - Scheme data collectionApply the PRDA tools that you selected at step 1B but be flexible and selectdifferent tools if you need additional information or if the current tools are notuseful for your specific site. For instance, biophysical measurements can be usedwhen you need to validate farmers’ opinions on water shortage; you can use theseasonal calendar to collect detailed information on a specific topic such as labourconstraints. Applying PRDA tools requires certain skills and a respectful openmindedattitude. More on this can be found in Chapter 5.Field REPORT Field REPORT2B - Basic performance assessmentThe performance assessment step is trying to get a good understanding ofthe collected data by analysing it in a structured way. This will increase yourbasic knowledge of the irrigation scheme and put you in a better position tofacilitate the next step.Comparing performance with other irrigation schemes can also indicatewhere improvements are needed and on what aspects the scheme is alreadyperforming well.