Participatory Rural Appraisal

Participatory Rural Appraisal-NRM 515

PARTICIPATORY RURAL APPRAISAL
PRA Team Leader: Bimal K. Chetri
PRA Team Members: Ms. Yonten Choki
Mr. Tshering Dendup
Ms. Tshering Yanchen
Mr Ugyen Tshering
Mr. Dorji Khandu
Mr. Dorji Tshering
April 1, 2021

NEED ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL VEGETABLES AND FRUITS PRODUCTION
Participatory Rural Appraisal in Kanglung Gewog
CENTRE FOR RURAL TECHNOLOGY
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
GUWAHATI-781039, ASSAM, India
Prepared by:
BIMAL K. CHETRI
PHD SCHOLAR, CENTRE FOR RURAL TECHNOLOGY
ROLL NO. 206154105
c.bimal@iitg.ac.in
Submitted to:
DR. SUDIP MITRA (PROF. AND DPPC)
CENTRE FOR RURAL TECHNOLOGY (CRT)
sudipmitra@iitg.ac.in

Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I’d like to thank Dr. Sudip Mitra (Professor and DPPC), Centre for Rural
Technology, for assigning this PRA assignment in a convenient location and enabling me to
choose a subject that interests me. I would also like to extend my sincere gratitute to my
HoD, Mr. Karma Wangchuk, Department of Environment and Life Sciences for granting the
permission to carry out PRA exercise in the nearby village/s. Apart from my course teacher,
I’d like to express my gratitude to Mr. Ugyen Tshering, Mr. Tshering Dendup, Ms. Yonten
Choki, Mr. Dorji Tshering and Ms. Tshering Yanchen, and Mr. Dorji Khandu from Department
of Environment and Life Sciences, Sherubtse College, Royal University of Bhutan, for
their help with the PRA and data collection for the matrix ranking and resource mapping. I
also would like to thank Dr Pankaj Thapa, Associate Professor, Geography, Department of
Social Science for helping me with mapping work and for providing handheld GPS. Document
was prepared using the free software LATEX. No one has been more valuable to me
than my family members in the pursuit of this mission. Most importantly, I want to thank
my caring and encouraging wife, as well as my two wonderful children, who are always
there to help and direct me in everything I do.
(Bimal K. Chetri)

Summary
This project focuses on gathering data to determine the demand for and
availability of local fruits and vegetables. The PRA was performed in two separate
villages in Kanglung Gewog. Based on the farmers’ prior agreement, semistructured
interviews and various matrix ranking exercises were conducted with
individual farmers and in a small group. The results indicated that the farmers
of these two villages mostly grow potato and leafy vegetables along with other
vegetables and fruits, based on the different domains and corresponding methods
used for the different matrix ranking. Social mapping, resource mapping
and mobility mapping are also outcome of this PRA exercise. The majority of
the members of the household stated that they choose to select different vegetables
based on the family’s source of income and for personal consumption.
Dairy products are also a source of income for them, in addition to growing vegetables
and fruits. Their annual production and revenue from selling fruits and
vegetables in the market is enough to sustain their livelihood. The cultivation
was done in response to market demand. Vendors were able to sell more because
the goods were available fresh and at a low price in the market, enabling
farmers to cultivate more. Because of lower market demand and post-harvest
issues, some vegetables and fruits were cultivated less. The key point made
is that farmers are having a lot of problems as a result of demand and supply
imbalances in the vegetable market. Most problems, such as demand supply
management, storage issues, transportation, and cost inflation, could be solved
if the government could develop business on a daily basis by bringing in small
scale agro-based industry and controlling the import of vegetables and fruits
which are available within the country.

Disclaimer All data presented below are entirely based on random sampling and
are selective, non exhaustive and extrapolative to some extend. They are meant to serve
an educational purpose in understanding the basics of PRA exercise, data collection and
analysis. As a result, don’t take something at face value. An assignment submitted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for NRM 515 coursework at Centre for Rural Technology,
IIT Guwahati.

Contents
Page
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
a. Background of this PRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2. Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
a. Approach and PRA process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
(i) Preparation before conducting PRA exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
(ii) During PRA exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
(iii) After PRA exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
b. Study site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. Observations and findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
a. PRA with farmer household . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
b. Matrix ranking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
(i) Free listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
(ii) Preference ranking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
(iii) Direct matrix ranking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
(iv) Pair-wise ranking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
c. Social and resource mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
(i) Family structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
(ii) Basic amenities available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
(iii) Household income . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
(iv) Migration issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
(v) Gender and labour issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
d. Crop Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
e. Mobility mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4. Discussion and conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
5. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
List of Figures
2..1 Field visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2..2 Flow chart of PRA process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2..3 (a.): Information related to household and matrix ranking was done on the
site in the month of March 2021 (b.): Woman in the picture (right) responding
to semi-structured interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2..4 Study site: Kanglung Gewog, Trashigang Dzongkhag . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3..1 interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3..2 (a.): Graph showing freelisting different vegetables by the farmers of Manthung
village in Kanglung (b.): Graph showing the free listing of different
vegetables based on the personal choices and market demand at Yongphula
village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3..3 Preference ranking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
I

3..4 Pair-wise ranking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3..5 Resource mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3..6 Social mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3..7 Basic amenities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3..8 Water supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3..9 List of local vegetables grown in different seasons at Kanglung . . . . . . . 12
3..10 List of local fruits grown in different seasons at Kanglung . . . . . . . . . 13
3..11 Crop calender of two villages of Kanglung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3..12 (a.): Movement of the people within the Yongphula village and to district
and satelite towns for business activities (b.): Mobility mapping of
the Yongphula village for various socio-economic activities . . . . . . . . 14

List of Tables
C.1. Freelisting of vegetables and grains based on personal preference and
consumer demand at Manthung village in Kanglung . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
C.2. Direct matrix ranking based on the use of individual vegetables. Total score
is determined by (̌) as used and (x) as not used respectively; vegetables
with highest tick mark is ranked as A and most preferred species and B as
less compare to A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
.1. Freelisting ∗ of the different types of vegetables based on personal choices
and market demand at Yongphula village in Kanglung (Ranked 10 th is the
most preferred) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
.2. Preference ranking ∗ of seasonal vegetables grown in Manthung village,
Kanglung (Ranked 10 th is the most preferred) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
.3. Preference ranking ∗ of seasonal vegetables grown in Yongphula village,
Kanglung (Ranked 10 th is the most preferred) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
.4. Preference ranking ∗ of seasonal fruits grown in Yongphula village,
Kanglung (Ranked 10 th is the most preferred) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
.5. Pair-wise ranking ∗ of vegetables and fruits grown in Manthung village,
Kanglung (Ranked 1 th is the most preferred) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
.6. Pair-wise ranking ∗ of problems associated with vegetables and fruits
production in Manthung village, Kanglung (Ranked 1 th is the most preferred) 20
Acronyms
BBS Bhutan Broadcating Service
BT Bhutan Telecom
BPC Bhutan Power Corporation
BHU Basic Health Unit
DoR Department of Roads
PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal
MR Matrix Ranking
FL Freelisting
PR Preference Ranking
DMR Direct Matrix Ranking
RNR Renewable Natural Resources
RRA Rapid Rural Appraisal
III

Glossaries
Chiwog Territorial constituency for the Gewog.
Chorten It is a large white structure which literally means ’Seat of Faith’ and Buddhists
often call such monuments, the ’Mind of Buddha’.
Crop calender This tool will include activities related to cultivation time during the year,
which will be useful for project design, analysis, and planning.
DMR It is a more complex version of preference ranking. Rather than arranging a series
of objects based on a single characteristic such as ’value’ or ’desirability,’ informants
arrange them by considering several attributes one at a time. In other words, preference
ranking is based on a single dimension, whereas direct matrix ranking employs
multiple dimensions explicitly.
Dzongkhag An administrative and judicial district of Bhutan.
FL Freelisting is a technique of asking the respondents to list down different information
which they consider important.
Gewog An administrative division composing a group of villages in Bhutan.
Gungtong Abandoned houses after rural-urban migration
Mobility mapping Scientific study of mental processes and behaviour.
MR Matrix Ranking is a participatory technique that allows stakeholders to analyze and
identify problems in order to implement appropriate improvements and solutions in
their community and area.
Pair-wise ranking By contrast, pairwise ranking helps in the analysis of the most relevant
issues, challenges, and opportunities. This approach is also useful for deciding which
prioritized tasks need outside assistance and which can be done locally.
PRA PRA is a type of participatory methodology that is designed not only to observe the
social changes of a specific community or group, but also to document and learn from
the process through action research.
PR It is used to learn participants’ assessment on different items. It is an introductory
exercise in a group discussion for revealing differences among group members.
Resource mapping In terms of soil types, crops grown and rotations, basic facilities, and
land access and tenure, map areas with similar characteristics.
RRA RRA is a social science methodology that was developed in the early 1980s to elicit,
examine, and assess knowledge and hypotheses about rural life and rural resources
that are important to planning action. It is a substitute for traditional survey methods
because they allow for a quick assessment of local awareness, needs, and community
potential.
Semi-structured interview During the PRA, it’s a tool for asking open-ended questions.
Some questions are pre-determined, while others occur during the discussion. Prepare
a list of subjects and issues you’d like to cover before you start an interview.
Transect walk This is a basic method of gathering data in which the researcher and main
informants walk around areas of interest to observe, listen, identify various zones or
situations, and ask questions in order to identify problems and potential solutions.
Venn diagram Looks for new agricultural concepts from a variety of sources. demonstrates
the importance, relevance, and role of local and external institutions in agricultural
issues.

1. Introduction
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), is a technique-based approach to empowering
deprived and disadvantaged societies. PRA is based on the idea of learning from rural people
closely involving local leaders (Henman et al., 2001). It is beneficial to learn from and
with the group or villagers. PRA describes a growing family of approaches and methods to
enable local people to share, enhance and analyze their knowledge of life and conditions,
to plan and to act (Chambers, 1994a) A collection of values, as well as a mechanism for
communicating and engaging with participants (villagers/community members) using a variety
of approaches to elicit their participation. The use of community-created local graphic
representations to legitimize local awareness and foster participant empowerment in PRA
(Chambers, 1993, 1994b; Häsler et al., 2019; Leurs, 1996; Loader & Amartya, 1999).
PRA is a form of participatory methodology that is primarily used to record and
learn from the process of social change in a specific community or group. Team mebers
were mixture of male and female. For PRA, we must pay particular attention to communitybased
participatory approaches, which necessitate early contact with local residents (Aryal
et al., 2017). PRA is intended to enable local communities to conduct their own analysis
and to plan and take action (Chambers, 1994b). PRA’s mission is to assist villagers in better
preparing, making decisions, and taking action to change their own condition. PRA is
widely regarded as one of the most popular and effective data collection methods in rural
areas. This approach was established in the early 1990s (Ellis & Biggs, 2001), following a
dramatic shift in paradigm from top-down to bottom-up. PRA provides a variety of development
resources based on secondary data sources (books, technical guides, reviews, surveys,
and charts etc.), with an emphasis on DIY (do-it-yourself) activities. Semi-structured interviews,
matrix rating, ethnographic recording, series of hand drawings, colorful charts, aerial
images, transects, seasonal calendars, Venn diagram, flow diagram, timelines, and so on are
some of the tools that can be used. To carry out the above tasks, a workshop and preparation
is held before field trips, bringing together locals and outsiders to intensively discuss the
knowledge and ideas (Aryal et al., 2017).
a. Background of this PRA
In the Ninth Plan, the bottom-up Gewog (Village block)-based planning mechanism
was implemented, as part of the decentralized planning system. Since then, local governments
have been designing Five Year Plans based on the development goals defined at the
Gewog level by the communities (Eleven Five Year Plan, 2013). Therefore for evaluating
community needs, there are many PRA approaches and techniques worth exercising. This
PRA exercise was carried out to generate common understanding with local communities
regarding their capacity to produce enough fresh and fruits in order to analyze their issues
and devise effective interventions and suitable measures to resolve situations related to
setting up local based agro-industry. Various types of knowledge are created when preparing
with the community, so careful selection of participatory resources contributes to good
community involvement. When choosing a participatory method, there are a few things to
consider. During a participatory need evaluation and management exercise, a situation will
occur where the community’s needs and desires must be prioritized. A ranking exercise can
assist groups in reaching an agreeable decision by allowing participants to make the best
option and prioritize their preferences. Prioritization by rating exercise may be adjusted to
suit various situations, and new ideas are encouraged. The main objectives are considered
in light of the problem and the feasibility of conducting a need-based evaluation.
1. To get a sense of how a community is viewed by its residents and to look at the issues,
needs, and opportunities that exist in the community.
2. To determine the annual quantity of vegetables and fruits in Kanglung Gewog.
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3. To assess local people’s preferences for vegetables and fruits.
4. To make recommendations for future project activities such as preparation, surveys,
and planning for production improvement.
5. To review and to further elaborate project objectives, results and indicators according
to the local situations.
2. Methodology
The various methods such as matrix ranking, transect walks, field based resource and
mobility ranking are used to better capture the issues and needs of the group. The specifics
of the exercise, as well as an outline of the outcomes, are given below. The PRA tools have
been used effectively to identify resources, constraints, opportunities, and farmer perspectives
in food production (Häsler et al., 2019; Shamsuddin et al., 2007). As a result, it can be
used to address issues and opportunities related to local vegetable and fruit production.
Figure 2..1: Transeck walk by the PRA team to Manthung Village, Kanglung a. Field walk through
concrete paved path b. before starting semi-structured interview c. Farm road and daycare centre in
Manthung village d. Potato field in Manthung village, planted in Jan
a. Approach and PRA process
Between March 20 and March 28, a team of seven members divided into two groups
conducted the PRA exercise (Figure 2..2) in Kanglung Gewog for three days at the request of
the local people considering their conveneint time and the PRA team. The PRA- team tried
to involve maximum households (10-15) in the exercise in order to capture the spectrum of
socio- economic variation among them. Also the following participatory PRA tools were
2 / 22

used semi-structured interview (Figure 3..1) of key informants, interest groups, individuals
and households, Resource and social mapping, Crop calendar, Matrix ranking and Field
walks.
Site
selection
and community
Preliminary
field visit
Preparatory/
PRA
sensitization
PRA
exercise
Matrix
ranking
and data
collection
Analysis
and recommendations
Report
writing
and
communication
Figure 2..2: Flow chart of PRA process
a.
b.
Figure 2..3: (a.): Information related to household and matrix ranking was done on the site in the
month of March 2021 (b.): Woman in the picture (right) responding to semi-structured interview
(i)
Preparation before conducting PRA exercise
Before the day, participants were briefed on the participatory exercise’s purposes
and the field site(s) where the specific exercise will be performed. Preparatory work was
considered due to the short notice and deadline. As a practice, a check-list was created,
which included all of the required stationery. Prior permission was obtained from the local
leader, and members of the local dielect community marched down to two different villages
early morning, based on the size and distant of the village and their ability to speak and
understand the local dialect (Sharchopkha).
(ii)
During PRA exercise
After arriving at the venue early in the morning and ensuring that the environment
was conducive to effective communication, the participants self-introduced themselves. The
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goals and expectations were also explained to the participants. While simultaneously sketching
the overall opinion of the people, semi-structured, open-ended questions, and a framework
for the matrix ranking were used. The program came to a close with a vote of thanks
from a PRA team member for their contributions. Thanking all of the participants for their
contributions and assuring them that this exercise would support in their development.
(iii)
After PRA exercise
Document findings and analysis of the information were carried coming back to the
Institute and provisions were made to share the same report to the community for their final
input.
b. Study site
Kanglung is selected as study site (Figure 2..4). Trashigang Dzongkhag is the largest
and the most populous Dzongkhag (District) in the country. It shares its borders with
Mongar Dzongkhag in the west, Samdrup Jongkhar and Pemagatshel in the South, Trashi
Yangtse in the north and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in the east. The Kanglung
is one the fifteen Gewog which has an area of 63.30 sq. km and is located in the North of
Khaling, North-East of Uzorong, South-West of Samkhar and has a border with Dremitse
Geog of Mongar Dzongkhag. It is considered one of the educational hubs in the country
where the place is mostly with the rural set-up.
Kanglung Gewog has 9 major villages called Chiwog, which further sub-divided into
minor villages with minimum households of 1 to 2 and goes up to the maximum of 20 to 30
households.
Figure 2..4: Study site: Kanglung Gewog, Trashigang Dzongkhag
4 / 22

3. Observations and findings
Field visits to two nearby villages were made twice. All the data entries for matrix
ranking was carried out in the field using printed template. Social mapping, mobility and
resource mapping including sketching was done in the field. Later upon return to the lab,
same entries were made in the document processor Lyx for generating LATEXtable and maps.
a. PRA with farmer household
Participatory mapping (matrix rating, social and resource mapping) was used by six
enumerators and one moderator to learn about the physical and socioeconomic conditions
of the sampling site by the villagers/community. For the PRA exercise, two nearly villages
were identified. The following main questions were generally asked based on the study’s
objectives to get a sense of the opportunities and challenges associated with the production
of vegetables and fruits. As the target was to cover maximum households but from many
houses farmers were already in the field. i) What resources are abundant? ii) What resources
are scarce? iii) Does everyone have equal access to land? iv) Do women have access to land?
v) Do the poor have access to land? vi) Who makes decision on land allocation? vii) Is
irrigation sufficient? viii) What are different crops grown in the village? ix) Where do
people sale their farm product? x) Who goes to market to sale the product and how often?
xi) Where do people prefer to sale their farm product? xii) What kind of development
activities do you carry out as a whole community? Where? xiii) Which resource do you
have the most problem with?
A total of 10-15 household surveys were conducted in each village. Wherever possible,
small group discussions were held to explore matrix ratings and resource mapping.
Figure 3..1: Semi-structured interview with a group of women about the sale of local vegetables and
fruits at a nearby local market
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b. Matrix ranking
Matrix Ranking is a participatory technique for analyzing and defining stakeholder
interests, goals, and problems so that appropriate changes and solutions can be implemented
in their group and region. To begin, the participants assessed which of their community’s
most pressing issues was the most pressing. Following that, the participants rated the value
of these priorities and problems. The outcome of this approach serves as a starting point for
conversations about potential solutions to the most pressing issues. Printed templates were
used to record the responses of the participants with the help of PRA team member. The
following procedures were used: freelisting, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, and
pairwise ranking.
(i)
Free listing
Obtaining a list of products or crops that the group prefers to grow in their farm on
the subject that we are studying is one of the first steps in collecting information for need
assessment studies. To find this in a short period of time, a rapid, participatory approach is
needed. Farmers were asked to name the types of vegetables and fruits they would like to
cultivate in their local language based on their preferences and market demand. This strategy,
known as free listing (Table C.1), assisted us in determining if the domain is relevant
and easily recognizable by the people we were interviewing. The table (Table C.1) indicates
Table C.1: Freelisting of vegetables and grains based on personal preference and consumer demand
at Manthung village in Kanglung
Sl.No. Name of the crop Based on personal
choices
Based on market
demand
Total
Rank
1 Rice 9.2 6.3 15.5 2 nd
2 Maize 6 5.1 11.1 3 rd
3 Potato 8.2 9.1 17.3 1 st
4 Buckwheat 1.8 0.9 2.7 5 th
5 Millet 2.1 1.3 3.4 4 th
that rice is thought to be grown mostly because local farmers are interested in it. Farmers
chose to grow potatoes because of market demand. Cereals like maize, buckwheat, and millet
are often grown according to their preferences (Figure 3..2 a.). This is traditional food
that the majority of the villagers prefer and depend on.
Potato, cabbage, coriander, spinach, cauliflower, and garlic were the most commonly
grown vegetables. The potato was the household’s favorite, followed by cabbages (Figure
3..2 b.), based on personal preference and market demand. The main explanation for
this preference is because of the favorable climatic conditions in the region. Potatoes can
grow in soil temperatures as high as 4.4 ◦ C, and depending on the type, they need more cool,
frost-free days to achieve harvest. It has been observed that they grow potatoes on a large
scale because their market value and demand are higher than those of other vegetables.
(ii)
Preference ranking
The preference rating (Figure 3..3) was used to determine how participants felt about
growing various vegetables and fruits. It was the first step in a small group discussion aimed
at revealing gaps between households.
(iii)
Direct matrix ranking
The more complicated version of preference ranking is direct matrix ranking. Rather
than placing a set of objects in order based on a single attribute such as ’value’ or ’desirabil-
6 / 22

a.
b.
Figure 3..2: (a.): Graph showing freelisting different vegetables by the farmers of Manthung village
in Kanglung (b.): Graph showing the free listing of different vegetables based on the personal choices
and market demand at Yongphula village
Figure 3..3: Graph showing preference ranking of choosing leafy vegetables by the farmers of Manthung
village in Kanglung
ity,’ informants place them in order based on a number of attributes, one by one. To put it
another way, preference ranking is based on a single dimension, while direct matrix ranking
(Table C.2) utilizes multiple dimensions directly (Martin, 2014).
(iv)
Pair-wise ranking
By contrast, pairwise ranking encourages in the analysis of the most relevant issues,
challenges, and opportunities. Since each person may have their own priority, the individual
enumerator has enabled and facilitated the farmer and small group of respondents to
compare activities and reach a consensus.
7 / 22

Table C.2: Direct matrix ranking based on the use of individual vegetables. Total score is determined
by (̌) as used and (x) as not used respectively; vegetables with highest tick mark is ranked as A and
most preferred species and B as less compare to A
Uses/Crops Potato Spinach Cabbage Coriander Cauliflower Radish Garlic
Selfconsumption
Sale ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Animal ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
feed
Barter ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Medicine
Dry process
✘ ✘ ✘ ✘
Total 3 3 2 2 2 3 3
Rank A A B B B B A
Figure 3..4: Pair-wise ranking of local vegetables used by villagers of Manthung village
This approach was also useful for determining which prioritized tasks required external
support and which could be handled locally. The problem with agricultural production,
as shown in table (Table 4.) , is due to a labor shortage. The question occurs for a number
of reasons. Out migration is taking place, and some members of the family are employed in
other fields such as construction and small businesses. The second issue is caused by pests
and diseases, which is accompanied by irrigation. In terms of draught power, the problem
is not big.
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c. Social and resource mapping
This social map (Figure 3..6) and resource map (Figure 3..5) were sketched onsite
by the enumerators and with the assistance from a senior villager showing the social
structures, institutions and natural resources found in an area. This activity has helped to
generate the feeling of social network and support to the community.
Figure 3..5: Resource mapping of Manthung village in Kanglung
Kanglung has 5 chiwogs (sub village blocks) namely Rongthong, Ritshangdung,
Yonphula, Mertsham and Manthong. The population of Kanglung including that of Sherubtse
college is approximately 10,200 people. Its temperature ranges from 16 to 24 degree Celsius
in summer and 3 to 13 degree Celsius in winter. The National Highway (NH 2) passes
through Kanglung and almost all villages under Kanglung are connected with un-paved farm
roads.
The existing government, corporate and private facilities and services in Kanglung
include Regional Kuensel Office, Regional BBS Office, Gup Office, Agriculture Machinery
Centre,Sherubtse College, 4 Primary Schools, 2 Lower Secondary Schools, Jampeling High
School, Yongphula Centanery Colleg, Potato Chips Unit, Central Information Centre, RNR,
DANTAK, IMTRAT, DoR, BHU Grade I (Figure 3..7), Bhutan Post Office, Regional Livestock
Centre, Bhutan Telecom, BPC Substation, Shedra, Zangtopelri, Yonphula Domestic
Airport (10 kms away) from the community centre and a Weather Station. Kanglung has a
favorable climate both for settlements as well as for agricultural purpose.
(i)
Family structure
Kanglung has both scattered and nucleated villages. The people’s primary occupation
is farming. The traditional family arrangement consists of a combination of shared and
extended family members. Old parents and farmers, on the other hand, are primarily present
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Figure 3..6: Mapping depicting the social structure and resources available within the Manthung
village
residents due to rural-urban migration and siblings and children heading to urban areas for
job placement.
(ii)
Basic amenities available
Yonphula is a small area surrounded by dense forest, with most of the settlements
clustered together as previously mentioned. There is water available (Figure 3..8) for farmers
to use during irrigation. In cooperation with the Indian government, IMTART currently
operates one hospital for the benefit of the general public (Indian Army).
(iii)
Household income
Among the other crops, potato is the most and first preferred crop, and most of the
families in Yonphula rely on cash crop potato. They used to cultivate other crops, but not
in such a large scale that they only grew for family consumption. There are no issues with
water sources or crop diseases in other areas, which is a very common problem.
(iv)
Migration issues
Out-migration is one of the big problems impacting households in the country’s
eastern region due to a labor shortage. Abandoned houses (known locally as Gungtong)
are common in this part of the area, including in Kanglung. As a result, land has been
left fallow. The lack of a ready market is another reason why people do not engage in
commercial farming. The majority of the people in this area are subsistence farmers.
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Figure 3..7: Manthung village and basic amenities a. Kanglung BHU b. Chorten c. Maize storage
and time for showing seed d. Village landscape
Figure 3..8: Water supply, tap water for drinking purpose and irrigation
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Figure 3..9: List of local vegetables grown (a. Garlic b. Cyclanthera pedata c. Raddish d. Pumkin
e. Raddish displayed in the local market f. Potato for sale in the local market g. Beans h. Bhutanese
chilli and i. Green leafy Brassica leaf) in different seasons at Kanglung
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Figure 3..10: List of local fruits (a. Kiwi b. Mandarin c. Pomegranate and d. Persimmon )grown in
different seasons at Kanglung
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(v)
Gender and labour issue
The survey is being conducted in Yonphula, and all of the houses are clustered together,
with the majority of them being couple families led by the father (Head of the Family).
The majority of the people there rely on vegetables as one of their primary sources
of income. Farmers share resources such as seeds, seeds, labor, and equipment since the
settlement is clustered.
d. Crop Calendar
Person farmer responses during semi-structured interviews are used to create a crop
calendar. This was accomplished in this manner because each farmer grows various vegetables
and fruits depending on the size and topography of their land, labor availability,
and irrigation facility. The horizontal bar chart (Figure 3..11) shows very tentative list of
vegetables and fruits grown in Kanglung.
Figure 3..11: Crop calender of two villages of Kanglung
Potato
Leafy veg.
Chilli
Radish
Orange
Tomato
Garlic
Broccoli
Plum
Peach
Asparagus
Kiwi
Pumkin
Pear
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chayote
Corainder
Meetings
Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
field visits crop calender meetings field visits PRA meeting report writing
e. Mobility mapping
a.
b.
Figure 3..12: (a.): Movement of the people within the Yongphula village and to district and satelite
towns for business activities (b.): Mobility mapping of the Yongphula village for various socioeconomic
activities
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Radar chart or mobility mapping (Figure 3..12 b.) of community services availed
by the people of Kanglung. People from this village travel as per as 30 kms away to visit
temples, for selling vegetables, buying groceries, LPG and for fuelling the vehicles. Health
service centre and schools (Figure 3..12 a.) are availbale within the reach of village. The
community resource map is a tool that helps an outsider to learn about a community and its
resource information. It can provide an overview of an area, show the local context as perceived
by the community people, and provide good starting point for discussions with local
people about their problems, potentials and needs. This map supports further analysis of the
resources available in the area and explore the possibility of integration of new intervention
in the future plan and programme.
4. Discussion and conclusion
The main sources of income are agriculture and livestock husbandry. Soybean,
maize, and beans are the main crops grown in the Gewog. Horticultural products include
potato, radish, asparagus, cabbage, and chillies, to name a few. It has the potential to be
cultivated commercially. With a large number of people moving out to other Dzongkhags,
Trashigang district, including Kanglung and other villages, faces the highest rate of rural
urban migration. As a result, the establishment of a regional hub in Kanglung should be
explored during the future Five Year Plan in order to resolve rural-urban migration and to
provide better economic opportunities for people living in the area.
With agriculture and livestock as the primary sources of income, Kanglung has the potential
to improve agriculture and livestock productivity by addressing issues such as post-harvest
storage and marketing, human-wildlife conflict, irrigation facilities, farm labor shortages,
and the formation of farmers’ groups and cooperatives. There is also the possibility of developing
a small agro-based industry that can create jobs, improve households, and promote
eco-tourism.
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5. References
Aryal, K., Nakul Chettri, R. L., Sanjeev Bhuchar, P. K., Seema Karki, K. P., & Ning, W.
(2017). Participatory ecosystem based planning and management a resource manual for
mid-level technicians and development workers.
Chambers, R. (1993). Participatory rural appraisal. Intermediate Technology Publications.
Chambers, R. (1994a). The origins and practice of participatory rural appraisal. World
development, 22(7), 953–969.
Chambers, R. (1994b). Participatory rural appraisal (pra): Analysis of experience. World
development, 22(9), 1253–1268.
Eleven Five Year Plan, T. D. (2013).
bhutan.
Eleventh five year plan,trashigang dzongkhag, gnh
Ellis, F. & Biggs, S. (2001). Evolving themes in rural development 1950s-2000s. Development
policy review, 19(4), 437–448.
Häsler, B., Msalya, G., Roesel, K., Fornace, K., Eltholth, M., Sikira, A., Kurwijila, L.,
Rushton, J., & Grace, D. (2019). Using participatory rural appraisal to investigate food
production, nutrition and safety in the tanzanian dairy value chain. Global food security,
20, 122–131.
Henman, V., Chambers, R., et al. (2001). Participatory rural appraisal. Planning agricultural
research: A sourcebook, 291–299.
Leurs, R. (1996). Current challenges facing participatory rural appraisal. Public administration
and development, 16(1), 57–72.
Loader, R. & Amartya, L. (1999). Participatory rural appraisal: extending the research
methods base. Agricultural systems, 62(2), 73–85.
Martin, G. J. (2014). Ethnobotany: a methods manual, volume 1. springer.
Shamsuddin, M., Alam, M., Hossein, M., Goodger, W., Bari, F., Ahmed, T., Hossain, M., &
Khan, A. (2007). Participatory rural appraisal to identify needs and prospects of marketoriented
dairy industries in bangladesh. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 39(8),
567–581.
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Appendices
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Table .1: Freelisting ∗ of the different types of vegetables based on personal choices and market
demand at Yongphula village in Kanglung (Ranked 10 th is the most preferred)
Sl.No. Name of the vegetables Based on personal
choices
Based on market
demand
Total
Rank
1 Potato 10.00 10.00 20.00 1 st
2 Cabbage 8.33 9.00 17.33 2 nd
3 Coriander 7.00 5.33 12.33 4 th
4 Spinach 8.67 5.33 14.00 3 rd
5 Cauliflower 6.67 7.33 14.00 3 rd
6 Garlic 7.33 5.00 12.33 5 th
∗ FL by 10 farmers, ordinal scaling from 1-10 and 10 being the highest score given by the individual farmer
Table .2: Preference ranking ∗ of seasonal vegetables grown in Manthung village, Kanglung (Ranked
10 th is the most preferred)
SL . No Mustard greens Cauliflower Cabbage Brocolli Coriander
Source of income 9.70 8.40 8.50 8.50 5.60
Horticulture support 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.80
Food for family 3.80 7.20 6.50 9.30 5.60
Better price 7.00 4.00 4.50 6.20 7.80
Ready market 3.00 2.70 2.00 4.00 5.60
Less labor need 5.40 4.40 3.00 7.20 7.60
Less investment 4.00 7.00 7.10 7.00 2.20
Pest and disease resistant 3.30 2.60 4.00 2.60 2.00
Suitable soil condition 6.20 8.00 7.90 5.20 8.40
Suitable climatic condition 7.10 9.10 8.70 6.90 7.20
Total 50.50 54.40 53.20 57.90 53.80
Rank 5 th 2 nd 4 th 1 st 3 rd
∗ PR from 10 farmers, ordinal scaling from 1-10 and 10 being the highest score given by the individual farmer
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Table .3: Preference ranking ∗ of seasonal vegetables grown in Yongphula village, Kanglung (Ranked
10 th is the most preferred)
Vegetables Potato Leafy veg. Cabbage Coriander Cauliflower Radish Garlic
Source of 10.0 2.3 6.3 4.7 5.0 3.7 3.7
income
Horticulture 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
support
Food for 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0
family
Better price 9.0 5.0 9.0 5.0 8.0 5.0 5.0
Ready market
8.0 5.0 7.0 5.0 7.0 5.0 5.0
Less labor 1.0 10.0 5.0 8.0 5.0 5.0 10.0
need
Less investment
1.0 10.0 5.0 8.0 5.0 8.0 8.0
Pest and 7.0 10.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0
disease
resistant
Suitable 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0
soil condition
Suitable 9.0 9.0 7.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0
climatic
condition
Total 65.0 71.3 66.3 66.7 66.0 62.7 67.7
Rank 6 th 1 st 4 th 3 rd 5 th 7 th 2 nd
∗ PR from 10 farmers, ordinal scaling from 1-10 and 10 being the highest score given by the individual farmer
Table .4: Preference ranking ∗ of seasonal fruits grown in Yongphula village, Kanglung (Ranked 10 th
is the most preferred)
Sl.No. Orange Pear Peach Plum Apple Persimmon
Source of income 2.70 9.30 3.30 6.13 5.00 5.00
Horticulture support 2.80 7.00 1.40 5.00 1.00 6.00
Food for family 10.00 5.00 8.50 6.88 10.00 8.00
Better price 8.10 4.90 8.90 8.00 8.33 10.00
Ready market 7.00 3.00 8.10 9.00 7.00 7.00
Less labor need 5.00 8.00 6.00 1.00 8.67 3.00
Less investment 1.50 1.00 6.70 4.00 6.00 2.00
Pest and disease resistant 4.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 3.00 1.00
Suitable soil condition 5.00 6.30 4.80 3.00 5.00 4.00
Suitable climatic condition 5.80 7.90 5.80 10.00 4.00 9.00
Total 51.90 54.40 55.50 55.00 58.00 55.00
Rank 6 th 5 th 2 nd 3 rd 1 st 3 rd
∗ PR from 10 farmers, ordinal scaling from 1-10 and 10 being the highest score given by the individual farmer
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Table .5: Pair-wise ranking ∗ of vegetables and fruits grown in Manthung village, Kanglung (Ranked 1 th is the most preferred)
Pair wise useful crops ranking Potato Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Garlic Orange Tomato Pear Peach Plum Asparagus Mushroom Raddish Total Rank
Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato Potato 12 1 st
Cabbage Potato Cabbage Leafy veg Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage 10 3
Cauliflower Potato Cabbage Leafy veg Cauliflower Caulifloer Cauliflower Cauliflower Cauliflwer Cauliflower Cauliflower Cauliflower Cauliflower 9 4
Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg Leafy veg 12 1
Garlic Potato Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Orange Garlic Pear Garlic Garlic Garlic Garlic Garlic 6 7
Orange Potato Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Orange Tomato Pear Orange Orange Orange Orange Orange 6 7
Tomato Potato Cabbage Tomato Leafy veg Tomato Tomato Tomato Tomato Tomato Tomato Tomato Tomato 9 4
Pear Pear Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Pear Pear Pear Pear Pear Pear Pear Pear 9 4
Peach Potato Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Peach Orange Tomato Pear Peach Peach Peach Raddish 4 9
Plum Potato Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Garlic Orange Tomato Pear Peach Asparagus Mushroom Raddish 0 13
Asparagus Asparagus Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Garlic Orange Tomato Pear Asparagus Asparagus Mushroom Raddish 3 11
Mushroom Mushroom Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Garlic Orange Tomato Pear Raddish Mushroom Asparagus Raddish 2 12
Raddish Potato Cabbage Cauliflower Leafy veg Garlic Orange Tomato Pear Raddish Raddish Raddish Raddish 4 9
Table .6: Pair-wise ranking ∗ of problems associated with vegetables and fruits production in Manthung village, Kanglung (Ranked 1 th is the most preferred)
Problem Irrigation Fertilizer Pest/ disease Wild animals Labor shortage Gender Capital Draught power Agriculture support Market access Total Rank
Irrigation Fertilizer Pest/ Diseases Wild animals Labor shortages Irrigation Capital Draught power Agricultural support Market access 1.00 9 th
Fertilizer Fertilizer Pest/ Diseases Wild animals Fertilizer Gender Capital Draught power Agricultural support Market access 2.00 8 th
Pest and disease Pest and disease Pest and disease Pest and disease Labor shortages Pest and disease Capital Pest and disease Agricultural support Pest and disease 6.00 4 th
Wild animals Wild animals Wild animals Pest/ Diseases Wild animals Wild animals Wild animals Wild animals Agricultural support Wild animals 7.00 2 nd
Labor shortage Labor shortage Fertilizer Pest/ Diseases Wild animals Gender Capital Draught power Agricultural support Market access 1.00 6 th
Gender Irrigation Gender Pest/ Diseases Wild animals Gender Gender Draught power Agricultural support Market access 3.00 5 th
Capital Capital Capital Pest/ Diseases Wild animals Capital Capital Draught power Agricultural support Market access 4.00 4 th
Draught power Draught power Draught power Pest/ Diseases Wild animals Draught power Draught power Draught power Agricultural support Market access 5.00 3 rd
Agriculture support Agricultural support Agricultural support Agricultural support Agricultural support Labor shortages Agricultural support Agricultural support Agricultural support Agricultural support 8.00 1 st
Market access Market access Market access Market access Market access Labor shortages Market access Capital Market access Market access 7.00 2 nd
∗ Pair-wise ranking from 10 farmers, ordinal scaling and 1 st being the highest score given by the individual farmer
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Alphabetical Index
agro-industry, 1
asparagus, 15
buckwheat, 6
climatic, 6
clustered, 14
commercial farming, 10
communication, 3
community, IV, 1
crop calendar, 14
crops, 14
direct matrix ranking, 6
draught power, 8
enumerator, 7
enumerators, 9
ethnographic recording,
1
field trips, 1
Field walks, 3
flow diagram, 1
freelisting, 6
fruits, 1
future plan, 15
government, 9
Health service centre, 15
human-wildlife, 15
income, 15
Kanglung, 9
key informants, 3
livestock, 15
local dialect, 3
local dielect, 3
local language, 6
Manthong, 9
Matrix Ranking, 6
matrix ranking, 4
matrix rating, 1
millet, 6
mobility mapping, 15
mobility ranking, 2
pairwise ranking, 7
participation, 1
Participatory Rural
Appraisal, 1
pests and diseases, 8
potato, 10
PRA, 1
preference ranking, 7
preference rating, 6
Prioritization, 1
ranking, 1
resource mapping, 5
schools, 15
secondary data, 1
semi-structured, 3, 4
small group discussion, 6
socio-economic, 4
soil, 6
topography, 14
transects, 1
Trashigang, 15
vegetables, 1, 6
Venn diagram, 1
Yonphula, 14
Yonphula Domestic
Airport, 9
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