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

58 Annex A. Description of toolsOn the way you can make all kinds of observations on the scheme infrastructureand other plots (Figure A1 and Box A4). Try to ask questionson unexpected observations and solutions to constraints that have beentried locally. Since it is a farmer-managed scheme, all farmers shouldknow the gate operation rules very well. It is also a good opportunityto check on this by asking several individual farmers.Use your visit to the farmer’s field to informally discuss the waterdelivery situation and organization.5. This procedure is repeated with the next farmer after you have returnedto the main canal (so start with the farmer’s plot located closest to theintake and finish at the tail).6. Remember to also include the drainage system at the end of yourtransect walk.Alternative:7. Another option is to plan your transect walk before you go to the fieldbased on your system map. You can then start the walk with teammembers only but try to talk with farmers you meet on the way.8. Information gathered during transect walks is usually presented in across-section. The different zones of the irrigation schemes are shownat the top of the diagram while different observation categories arewritten on the left hand side (such as water availability, maintenancestatus, crop diseases). Information is filled in for each category andzone. Remember to indicate your transect route on a map so that otherpeople know where the different zones are located.An alternative is to draw your observations on the map. This may beparticularly useful for certain very specific point observations (such asa damaged water distribution structure).