PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 3 Some techniques for rapid appraisal of artisanal infrastructures

Document begins: PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988­2001 3 Some techniques for rapid appraisal of artisanal infrastructures Godfrey Cromwell Introduction essential cash-only payments such as school fees and the purchase of agricultural inputs. Artisanal activities are generally prized by In areas where agriculture is the predominant artisans' households because they provide household activity, rural artisans (blacksmiths, access to (additiona l) cash income. tinsmiths, carpenters, potters etc) often constitute important productive infrastructures It is important, therefore, to see artisanal complementary and/or essential to agricultural activities within the context of both the production. However, the essential inputs both interviewees' and the communities' farming to agriculture and to other aspects of rural life system(s). One technique we used with that these networks of demand and supply, artisans and in community group interviews production, credit, income diversification etc was the construction of an expanded calendar provide, sometimes become invisible when covering both agricultural and non-agricultural attention is focussed too exclusively on activities. agriculture. Better understanding of artisanal systems is required if their contribution and First, interviewees' agricultural labour potential for development are not to be ignored calendars were sketched. This was usually or attempts to assist them are not to be fairly straightforward since agricultural counter-productive ...