When deciding the placement of a flood protection barrier in Bangladesh, the local people were consulted to decide on the best route to avoid good agricultural land, and how to compensate those farmers that did lose out. The author notes that although participation may add to the initial cost of a project, it increases long-term sustainability.
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 44: Local Government and Participation (June 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.