From dependence to self-reliance through restoring human values: an experience with farmers' organisations (PLA 43)

When communities are constantly looked upon as requiring aid and as beneficiaries of development, they eventually lose value and confidence in themselves and can become totally dependent on outside assistance. This article draws on the experience of farmer's groups in India, and how they moved towards self-help and being able to capitalise on their strengths.

This article was published in PLA 43: Advocacy and Citizen Participation. Participatory Learning and Action (PLA, formerly PLA Notes) is the world's leading series on participatory learning and action approaches and methods. PLA publishes articles on participation aimed at practitioners, researchers, academics, students and activists. All articles are peer-reviewed by an international editorial board. See: www.planotes.org

This article was published in PLA 43: Advocacy and Citizen Participation (February 2002). ~Click on ‘More information’ to visit: www.planotes.org~Click on 'Additional information' to download the whole issue or individual articles for this issue of PLA.