PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 4 Farmers as analysts and facilitators in Participatory Rural Appraisal & Planning

In most development farmers are informants or at best data collectors. They do not participate in analysing data and taking decisions based on the analysis. This process looses the use of inherent analytical capacity of the farmers. The resultant development process although may lead to tangible development results in the short run does not lead to a sustained innovation by the local villagers and also does not lead to institution building at the village level. This does not lead to building of an enabling environment in which innovations are encouraged from local people.