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The success of any project depends on the stakeholder participation. There are many methods by which stakeholder participation is ensured in a project. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is an approach that is used by many development projects to incorporate knowledge and opinions of the stakeholders, especially the beneficiaries, in various stages like planning, implementation, and evaluation. This paper documents a PRA exercise done by trained social work students to evaluate a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects implemented in India. Apart from highlighting the process of conducting PRA, this paper sheds light on the possibility of using participatory methods like PRA to assess CSR projects in India, which ensures the inclusion of the perception of beneficiaries. The research adopted a case study approach, and the participants were the beneficiaries of CSR projects in the community. Qualitative feedback was also taken from 20 participants to understand the advantages of using participatory tools in the performance evaluation of CSR. The group discussions, in-depth interviews and PRA techniques were adopted to gather data. The findings underline the relevance of social work professionals in CSR initiatives and also the role of PRA in empowering the beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper tries to analyze the impacts of erosion on the livelihood and vulnerability statusof the char dwellers of Assam, India. The study employs both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, choosing one district from each of Assam's agro-climatic zones across the Brahmaputra valley as a representative of the state's char regions. As a qualitative tool, the study uses the participatory rural appraisal (PRA) technique and as quantitative tool the study uses Vulnerability as Uninsured Exposure to Risk (VER) econometric model.394 char households were surveyed through a semi-structured schedule. For each village selected for the study, a combined social-resource map was created using the PRA method in order to determine the severity of the erosion issue in the char regions. The VER model is used to empirically examine the relationship between char land erosion and the well-being of char inhabitants. The study reveals that erosion of the char land has serious, detrimental impacts on the livelihood and economic well-being of the char residents and thereby make the char dwellers vulnerable. The study makes recommendations of both structural and non-structural adaptation practices to minimize the effects of erosion on char dwellers livelihood.

This study explored smallholder dairy production and cattle welfare in Eastern Uganda using mixed methods evaluation approaches. A focus group of 17 members performed a SWOT analysis of local farms, identifying strengths like available land, forage, and community support but weaknesses including disease, parasites, and lack of technologies. Field assessments of 12 farms using a modified Welfare Quality® protocol revealed 25% had inadequate body condition; 33% lacked adequate water access; 50% provided comfortable housing; and 42% had animals with health issues. Six recommendations were formulated to address needs via training, veterinary services access, data systems, finance, milk market development, and pasture improvements. Though struggling with resource constraints and animal health, eastern Uganda's favorable climate and community present opportunities to enhance productivity and welfare with targeted actions like skills development and access to technologies. However, external inputs require alignment with smallholder realities. Findings detail current conditions while highlighting local perspectives to guide appropriate innovations sensitive to economic limitations and values-based motives. Collaborating with producers to incrementally elevate management can improve livelihoods and animal well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than half of Zambia’s population relies on agriculture which is vulnerable to extreme climate change impacts such as heat stress. However, heat stress has been largely overlooked as a health risk factor making small-scale farmers vulnerable. This study aimed to determine the constraints to adaptation and the responses of farmers in Monze and Sioma districts of Zambia to heat stress as a result of climate change. Interviews and group discussions centred around Participatory Rural Appraisal Tools (Calendar and Resource Map) were utilized to collect data from farmers in Monze and Sioma districts from October to November 2020. In general, farmers attributed reduced productivity to poor soils, lack of farming inputs, and climate change (e.g. poor rainfall, influx of pests, increased hot days where temperatures are approximately above 30 °C). Though not all farmers were aware of the effects of climate change on human health, they acknowledged that everyone exposed to outdoor working conditions is at risk of developing heat stress. Interview results show that farmers were affected by heat when at work (n = 91) and some farmers (n = 58) even observed or experienced symptoms of heat stress and heat-related illnesses such as headache, dizziness, dehydration, and tiredness. In these communities, the main constraints to adaptation were lack of information, water scarcity, deforestation, lack of farming incentives, and social influences. Traditional practices enhanced adaptation responses despite the need to raise heat stress awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) methods have been acknowledged as important tools to involve members of the community in the process of identification of their problems, the factors contributing to the development of these problems, and ways by which these problems can be resolved. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study will be conducted in two stages among first professional phase medical students. In the first stage, these students will be trained on PRA methods by the trained teachers, while in the second stage, these students will implement PRA methods in the local community. The entire training process and its different components will be evaluated using validated study tools (semi-structured questionnaire), which will be administered using Google Forms. The statistical analysis will be performed using frequency and percentages, and a paired t-test will be used to compare the change in knowledge before and after training. Conclusion: In conclusion, first professional phase medical students must be trained in PRA methods and subsequently supervised to monitor their change in behavior. However, as the success of the entire program will depend on the quality of training imparted to medical students, the training program must be evaluated from the perspective of students, community, and teachers.

Abstract Background The Chinese government has invested significant resources to build many rural healthcare stations. However, in the face of convenient medical paths and accessible medical resources, the utilization rate of health services for older adults in rural areas is surprisingly low. This study explored why health-seeking behavior among older adults in rural China was not active. Methods Data were collected through participatory rural appraisal (PRA) with 108 participants in 12 villages in southern China. Daily schedule and social and resource mapping were employed to outline the range of activities and the routine of the older adults, as well as in-depth interviews to understand the logic of their healthcare choices. Data collected were analyzed by content analysis. Results Three themes were generated: (1) perceptions of health status (being healthy or sick): the rural older adults used the ability to handle routine chores as a measure of health status; (2) prioritization of solving symptoms over curing diseases: the older adults preferred the informal self-medication to cope with diseases, as long as there were no symptoms and no pain; (3) ‘unpredictable’ troubles: they tended to favor the ‘optimal’ solution of keeping their lives in order rather than the best medical treatment options. Conclusion This study showed that the medical practices of the rural elderly were profoundly influenced by their perceptions of health and their life experiences. In the face of diseases, they tended to keep their lives in order, preferring self-treatment practices that address symptoms or selectively following medical advice rather than medical and science-based clinical solutions. In the future, the construction of rural health care should focus on changing the ‘inaccessibility’ of healthcare resources at the subjective level of the rural elderly and develop culturally adaptable health education.

Transformative rural smallholder agriculture addressing biophysical constraints requires farmer-led innovations for increased technology adoption. Following the need to further intensify the cereal push-pull technology (PPT) for pest and weed control through integration with vegetables, we conducted surveys to determine suitable vegetables across three different counties in Kenya namely Homabay, Siaya, and Trans-Nzoia. Farming in these areas is predominantly maize based and introducing vegetables to the system will improve household food and nutritional security, together with income. A systematic random sampling method was used to sample a total of 124 smallholder farmers who were interviewed during field days where farmer awareness of technology was mobilised. Descriptive results showed kale (47%) and black nightshade (30%) were the most preferred high-value vegetables for integration into push-pull plots in these regions. This was followed by cowpea (15%), onion (6%) and tomato (2%) underlying the wide range of farmer preferences and priorities. There were also gender differences in vegetable preferences with men preferring capital intensive and high value vegetables, while women preferred traditional vegetables. Results from multinomial logit model revealed that age of the farmer, education level, gender, and farming experience were determinants of smallholder farmers' vegetable preferences for integration into the PPT plots. The contribution of these determinants to farmer preferences varied across different vegetables where the contribution of the market value of the vegetable in selection diminished with while the effect of farmers' age. Overall, male farmers preferred capital-intensive and market-oriented vegetables in compared to their female counterparts. We conclude that gender and geographic location play a pivotal role in farmers' crop selection for integration in the PPT. Targeted awareness creation pathways accounting for these factors will be critical for wider adoption of the PPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change affects both the natural (ecological) and manmade (social) systems across the continents. In the Central Himalaya, renowned for its diverse altitudes, climates, landforms, biodiversity, ethnicities, cultures, and farming systems, complex interactions occur between social and ecological subsystems. The research employs the socio-ecological systems (SESs) approach to assess vulnerability and devise effective adaptation strategies for climate change in the region. Three SESs were chosen as templates for the vulnerability and adaptation assessment. Primary data was collected using the participatory rural appraisal (PRA) method from 14 villages with these SESs. We adopted an indicator-based approach to assess vulnerability, including components such as exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, to calculate the socio-ecological vulnerability index (SEVI). Our results showed varying patterns of vulnerability across the SESs. Sixty-eight percent of the surveyed households have “high” to “very high” socio-ecological vulnerability levels in all three SESs. The results revealed that Himalayan Moist Temperate/Irrigated agrarian (agrarian)-populated (low) community (SESB3) has a “very high” level, Himalayan Moist Temperate/Unirrigated agrarian (small)-populated (low) community (SESB6) has a “high” level, and Alpine/Unirrigated agrarian (small)-populated (low) community (SESA6) has a medium socio-ecological vulnerability level. In addition to assessing vulnerability, we examined current and potential adaptation strategies and associated barriers. The findings revealed major adaptation strategies by the households and communities in agriculture, forest, health, information, infrastructure, policy, natural disasters, livelihood, and water. Our research culminates in the development of an SES-based adaptation framework as a major outcome. This framework assists in understanding local needs and identifying gaps in existing policies and institutional arrangements for sustainable development of the Himalaya. Our SES-based vulnerability and adaptation assessment offers a robust methodology applicable to the entire Indian Himalayan Region and other mountain ecosystems. It provides valuable insights for effective adaptation strategies to address climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate is the property of University of Brasilia, Center for Sustainable Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The Chinese government has invested significant resources to build many rural healthcare stations. However, in the face of convenient medical paths and accessible medical resources, the utilization rate of health services for older adults in rural areas is surprisingly low. This study explored why health-seeking behavior among older adults in rural China was not active. Methods: Data were collected through participatory rural appraisal (PRA) with 108 participants in 12 villages in southern China. Daily schedule and social and resource mapping were employed to outline the range of activities and the routine of the older adults, as well as in-depth interviews to understand the logic of their healthcare choices. Data collected were analyzed by content analysis. Results: Three themes were generated: (1) perceptions of health status (being healthy or sick): the rural older adults used the ability to handle routine chores as a measure of health status; (2) prioritization of solving symptoms over curing diseases: the older adults preferred the informal self-medication to cope with diseases, as long as there were no symptoms and no pain; (3) 'unpredictable' troubles: they tended to favor the 'optimal' solution of keeping their lives in order rather than the best medical treatment options. Conclusion: This study showed that the medical practices of the rural elderly were profoundly influenced by their perceptions of health and their life experiences. In the face of diseases, they tended to keep their lives in order, preferring self-treatment practices that address symptoms or selectively following medical advice rather than medical and science-based clinical solutions. In the future, the construction of rural health care should focus on changing the 'inaccessibility' of healthcare resources at the subjective level of the rural elderly and develop culturally adaptable health education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In rural Indonesia, sheep are commonly raised using traditional methods with low technological innovation, leading to modest incomes for farmers. This study evaluates the technical and economic performance of sheep farming in the Anyer Subdistrict of Serang Regency, Banten Province. The research involved observing and interviewing 285 sheep farmers and employed Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques to assess the potential agroecosystem for developing a corn-based sheep integration model. Descriptive analysis was utilized to evaluate the regional biophysical and technical performance of sheep farming, while Net Cash Benefit (NCB) and Cost-Return Analysis (CRA) were applied to determine the economic performance. Findings indicate that corn-based sheep farming has potential in the region, bolstered by the availability of corn by-products. However, the performance of sheep aged 2-3 years was found to be suboptimal, as evidenced by low average body weights (23 kg for 2-year-olds and 20.1 kg for 3-year-olds), small litter sizes (1.34 heads per litter), a high mortality rate (23.65%), and a low reproductive rate in ewes (1.55 heads/ewe/year). Despite these challenges, sheep farming proved to be profitable, with an average net benefit of IDR 2,420,400 per annum, not accounting for labor costs. The study suggests that the development of corn-based sheep farming could be supported by the introduction of feed processing technology and the use of superior sheep breeds to enhance performance and ensure business sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving sorghum adoption rates by developing adapted varieties that meet end-user preferences is a major challenge in West Africa. In this study, a participatory rural appraisal was undertaken to identify the main sorghum production constraints, farmers’ preferred variety traits and their perceptions on sorghum grain mold. The study was conducted in four representative rural communities located in the main sorghum producing area of Senegal. A total of 260 farmers were interviewed and data were collected through focus group discussions and individual questionnaires. Our results indicated that Striga, insects, poor soil fertility and drought are the major sorghum producing constraints in Senegal. Grain mold was identified as the second most important sorghum disease after the damping-off. Discoloration on grain surface was the most important criteria farmers used to recognize the disease. The most important sorghum traits farmers desired in improved varieties are medium to short plant maturity cycle, medium plant height, large open or semi-compact panicle, big and white grain, and adaptation to local growing conditions. The results showed that the sorghum cropping system is dominated by male farmers who mainly grow local landraces. These results will provide updated recommendations for the breeding products profile to meet end-user preferences in Senegal.

Participatory Rural Appraisal was used to compare stakeholder perceptions of spatial and temporal variation in tree cover and water availability using Uganda’s Mt. Elgon Water Tower as a case study. This study was guided by the research question: How do multi-level stakeholders’ perceptions of changes in tree-cover and water availability vary across spatial and temporal scales of the water tower? Five Participatory Rural Appraisal tools were applied to understand multi-level stakeholders’ perspectives on the changes in tree-cover and water availability. Data was collected from farmers’ focus group discussions, key experts from local government offices and structured household interviews with local communities. This study focused on the upper and lower zones of the water tower, which differ in terms of proximity to Mt. Elgon National Forest Park, household water-use, elevation, and tree-cover. Results showed that there are both similarities and differences in perceptions of changes in tree cover and water availability among stakeholders. Farmers and key experts perceived a decrease in water availability and a decrease in overall tree cover for the period 1990–2020. There are differences in stakeholders’ perceptions of water availability across the zones and sub-catchments. For instance, more farmers in Sipi River Sub-catchment perceived a decrease in water availability during 2006–2020 compared to 1990–2005 period. There were notable contradictions in farmers’ and key experts’ perceptions on tree cover. Farmers’ perceptions of 1990–2020 precipitation were in agreement with trends in existing precipitation data. Declining trends of natural tree cover especially outside the Mt. Elgon national forest park pose great threat to water resources originating from forests. Changes in tree cover and water availability in the study area can be partly explained by the tree species grown. Local stakeholders’ perceptions complemented the existing data gaps in explaining the changes in tree cover and water availability. Participatory Rural Appraisal tools are helpful for documenting the perceptions of local communities. However, this cannot replace reliable data resulting from large-scale efforts for monitoring changes and variations in tree-cover and water availability. The findings of this paper can be valuable to inform strategies for community involvement in sustainable agroforested landscape management.

This study explored smallholder dairy production and cattle welfare in Eastern Uganda using mixed methods evaluation approaches. A focus group of 17 members performed a SWOT analysis of local farms, identifying strengths like available land, forage, and community support but weaknesses including disease, parasites, and lack of technologies. Field assessments of 12 farms using a modified Welfare Quality® protocol revealed 25% had inadequate body condition; 33% lacked adequate water access; 50% provided comfortable housing; and 42% had animals with health issues. Six recommendations were formulated to address needs via training, veterinary services access, data systems, finance, milk market development, and pasture improvements. Though struggling with resource constraints and animal health, eastern Uganda’s favorable climate and community present opportunities to enhance productivity and welfare with targeted actions like skills development and access to technologies. However, external inputs require alignment with smallholder realities. Findings detail current conditions while highlighting local perspectives to guide appropriate innovations sensitive to economic limitations and values-based motives. Collaborating with producers to incrementally elevate management can improve livelihoods and animal well-being.

The concept of Village-City Development's hegemony is being clarified in various media outlets, necessitating periodic reviews to strike a balance between the two. The harmonization of village development is evident in the rapid improvement and transformation of villages, exemplified by the emergence of tourist villages. Among these, Pandanrejo Tourism Village stands out, offering strawberry barn tourism that has been operational since late 2018. This tourism destination not only showcases strawberry gardens and products but also provides educational tours related to strawberries. To support the success of tourism villages, efforts can be made by mapping the community's potential and needs, which will inform the development programs aimed at empowering the local populace. The research undertaken in this study employed the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method, which ensures that the people of Pandanrejo Tourism Village are not mere recipients of top-down programs, but active participants in designing bottom-up development initiatives. This approach encourages the community's involvement throughout the development process. The study encompasses several stages of analysis, allowing village communities to actively participate in identifying social problems and their root causes, devising solutions, and subsequently formulating programs. These programs will receive budgetary support and be implemented based on principles of cooperation, empowerment, and community independence

The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) exercise was conducted in Girwa block of Udaipur, India. Girwa (Geog. Lat. 24.58° N, Geog. Long. 73.6962° E) is a part of southern Aravali hills wherein 28% of the population belongs to the primitive tribal groups such as the Bheels, Meena, Gameti and Rawat. Since, animal husbandry is the main economic activity for tribal people of southern Aravali zone; it is important to study current animal health care system in the region. It was in this context that the PRA exercise was done as a pilot study to document, rapidly assess, and promote ethnoveterinary practices. The field work conducted in 15 villages and on 3742 animals which were being reared by the community under study to support agriculture and for milk purpose . A total 26 animal diseases in which ethnoveterinary practices were resorted to and 15 ethno-veterinary medicinal plants were identified as part of the study.

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Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] in Zambia is a valuable source of cheap protein, complement to the food systems and value chains in rural and urban areas despite the low productivity. This study aimed to document the present level of cowpea production, identify constraints affecting cowpea production among smallholder farmers and prioritize trait preferences in a cowpea variety as a guide to pre-breeding programs in Zambia. Methods: Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) was used to collect data from cowpea production areas in Zambia's Eastern, Southern and Northern provinces. The PRA was conducted during the 2017/18 cropping season. Information was solicited from 187 farmers using interview questionnaires with a further focused group discussions with 7 groups. Result: Cowpea is perceived to be 'a woman's crop' in rural areas of Zambia but the present data showed that the frequency of female farmers who were directly involved in cowpea production in the study areas was relatively low at 44.00 per cent. About 93.60 per cent, the respondents were cultivating unimproved, local cowpea landraces, while the remainder (6.40 per cent) cultivated a few introduced varieties. The most important constraints of cowpea production in the study areas were identified by the respondents as poor varieties with low yield potential (45.10 per cent), pests and diseases (18.10 per cent) and the lack of modern production inputs (14.80 per cent). The farmers indicated that high yield potential, insect pest and disease resistance and good eating quality were the most important traits in a variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forest fringe villages, folk medicines play a pivotal role in human health care management. The aim of present study was to document the plants employed in the folk medicines by ethnic groups inhabiting forest fringe villages of Nagaland. Field survey was conducted for over two years in 32 forest fringe villages of Nagaland. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and quantitatively analyzed by statistical tools i.e., Use-value, Relative frequency of citation and Informant consensus factor to identify promising plants for future studies. This research documented 96 medicinal plants employed in the treatment of 59 ailments of human being. The quantitative analysis of the data indicates that some species have relatively high "use value (UV)" and "relative frequency of citation (Rfc)", these are: Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Phyllanthus emblica L. with 0.67 as UV and 3.6 as Rfc. Maximum consensus among informants was observed for the treatment of tooth and gum ailment and under this category Solanum aculeatissimum Moench was frequently cited by informants. Those plants which receive high relative frequency of citation values may serve as potential source for pharmacological studies, especially Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (used as insect repellent), Phyllanthus emblica L. (used in abdominal pain and indigestion), Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br. (in flatulence), Aloe vera Mill. (in constipation), Canna indica L. (in genital infection), Gmelina arborea Roxb. ex Sm. (prevent miscarriage), Parkia timoriana (DC.) Merr. (in bleeding piles), Carica papaya (DC.) Merr. (cure ringworm), Solanum aculeatissimum Moench (in foot and toe infection), Thalictrum foliolosum DC. (for vomiting and indigestion), Mentha spicata L. (in stomach ache), Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton (incough and cold), Zingiber officinale Roscoe (in cough and cold) and Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delarbre (in skin infection). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumajang Regency, especially Bades Village, is one of the central managements of coastal and marine areas in East Java Province. One of the fishermen groups in Bades Village is the Mina Dampar Fishermen Group. Until now, these fishermen groups have not been able to utilize coastal areas for small-scale people's ponds due to limited knowledge of intensive shrimp farming technology, limited access to capital, and limited market information. This Technical Guidance aims to broaden horizons and introduce vannamei shrimp farming technology to fishermen who are members of the Mina Dampar group. This technical guidance activity was carried out at the Fish Landing Base in Bades Village and was targeted at the Mina Dampar Fishermen Group. The mentoring method used is the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method. This Technical Guidance aims to broaden horizons and introduce vannamei shrimp farming technology to 10 fishermen who are members of the Mina Dampar group. This technical guidance consists of outreach activities and field orientation. This activity shows that fishermen are interested in cultivating vannamei shrimp in Bades Village, especially freshwater vannamei shrimp cultivation. Cultivating freshwater vannamei shrimp can be a source of income for fishermen while doing housework.

Wetlands of India are basically low-lying areas and are one of the most important and potential inland natural fish habitats of the country and provide livelihood to millions of poor fishers living around them. In India, they account for a total area of 3.54 lakh ha covering states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Asom and other North-East states. The present annual fish yield from these wetlands is 350 kg/ha on the average against estimated production potential of 1500kg/ha/year. Among the Indian states, Asom is endowed with myriads of wetlands ranging from 35 to 3458.12 ha in water spread area. The average existing fish production from wetlands of Asom 173 kg/ha/year against its production potential of 1,000–1,500 kg/ ha/year and several factors, viz. habitat alteration, over exploitation, lack of scientific management, encroachment, etc., are responsible for poor productivity of the wetlands. Hence, a study was conducted in 4 selected floodplain wetlands of the state namely Talu Malu (22.0 ha), Amuguri Basapathar (50.0 ha), Kutuha Bar (16.0 ha) and Bhitorkuri (20.0 ha) floodplain wetlands to see the critical factors associated with sustainable development and management of wetlands. The study revealed that four predictive variables namely management capabilities of wetland development committee (X15), availability of aquaculture inputs (X17), age (X1), community-based fisheries organization (X14) have significant positive contribution towards sustainable development and management of wetland fisheries (Y) and each of them contributed at 1% (P

Ethiopia is the primary wheat producer in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) owing to the suitable agro-ecological conditions. Despite wheats economic potential for food security, the actual yield under smallholder farmers conditions is low due to various production constraints. Thus, the objectives of this study were to assess the present wheat production opportunities and constraints and identify farmer-preferred traits to guide variety design with stem rust-resistance and economic traits in eastern Ethiopia. Data on production constraints and trait preferences were collected using structured questionnaires involving 144 wheat-producing farmers. Wheat rust (reported by 97.3% of respondents), small land size (90.4%) and a lack of improved varieties (75.6%) were identified as the major constraints. About 41.7% of respondents in the West-Hararghe and 27.8% in the East-Hararghe zones did not use crop protection strategies to control rusts. Substantial respondent farmers used cultural practices (18.8%), rust-resistant cultivars (13.2%) or, a combination of these (10.4%) to control rust diseases. The essential farmer preferred traits in a wheat variety were rust resistance, high yield potential and good quality grain for bread making. Therefore, there is a need to breed new varieties with high grain yield and quality and durable rust resistance for sustainable wheat production in eastern Ethiopia.

The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) exercise was conducted in Girwa block of Udaipur, India. Girwa (Geog. Lat. 24.58° N, Geog. Long. 73.6962° E) is a part of southern Aravali hills wherein 28% of the population belongs to the primitive tribal groups such as the Bheels, Meena, Gameti and Rawat. Since, animal husbandry is the main economic activity for tribal people of southern Aravali zone; it is important to study current animal health care system in the region. It was in this context that the PRA exercise was done as a pilot study to document, rapidly assess, and promote ethnoveterinary practices. The field work conducted in 15 villages and on 3742 animals which were being reared by the community under study to support agriculture and for milk purpose. A total 26 animal diseases in which ethnoveterinary practices were resorted to and 15 ethno-veterinary medicinal plants were identified as part of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southwestern coastal part of Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to different kinds of disasters due to the changing climatic conditions. With the lenses of rural communities here an approach to examine how were the different disasters experiences, what lesson they learnt and what are their present disaster associated problems and stakeholder's networks they rely on to enhance their resilience. Qualitative data were collected through participatory rapid rural appraisal (100–150 persons), field observation, 12 focus group discussions (25–40 people/FGD), and key informant interviews (25 people) in four southwestern coastal districts and nine coastal villages of Bangladesh. Results showed that since long back to date drinking water crisis, poor roads, poverty, poor sanitation, and health problems are the main identified disaster-associated problems. After learning lessons from previous disaster experiences, the community people have improved and changed their practices mainly by storing emergency foods, house construction, and increasing disaster awareness. However, the coastal communities are combating with the problems that have both direct and indirect association with poor infrastructures. Therefore, the coastal communities urge and sketched for a better stakeholders' supports and networks to minimize their problems and thus to enhance communities' disaster resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residents in the neighborhood of Rukun Tetangga 03 Rukun Warga 02 Pondok Jati Jurangmangu Barat Pondok Aren mostly belong to the lower middle class. Most of the residents in this RT 03 environment run their business businesses such as warungs, drinking water supply services, cellphone counters, workshops, printing houses, internet cafes, house rentals/rents, vehicle rentals, vehicle care services, midwives, and furniture. Although some business actors have used information technology tools to support their business, their use is limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Residents do not understand how to sell and market products using information technology tools. E-Commerce technology is a technology used to conduct business transactions that occur on electronic networks. E-Commerce technology can help market products, especially when implementing large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). Based on the above conditions, we conducted training to build a business using Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) technology for residents to foster an entrepreneurial spirit based on information technology. the methodology in this community service activity uses the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach which consists of the identification of problems, planning activities, implementing activities, monitoring activities, and evaluating community service activities. The output of this community service activity is that the residents of Rukun Tetangga 03 Rukun Warga 02 Pondok Jati Jurangmangu Barat Pondok Aren gain knowledge and experience on how to use E-Commerce technology to support their business activities. For this community service activity to run optimally, it is necessary to provide assistance during the adaptation process of E-Commerce technology and conduct training on digital marketing in the future.

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the main food staple grain widely cultivated in sub-Sharan Africa including Uganda. There is a lack of current information on sorghum production constraints and varietal trait preferences in the major sorghum production areas in Uganda. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the sorghum production constraints and farmer preferences for sorghum variety in Uganda. A participatory rural appraisal study was undertaken in four selected sorghum production districts in Uganda (Kumi, Bukedea, Oyam and Gulu). Data were collected through surveys using semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussion involving 128 and 55 participants, respectively. Data were subjected to parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses to draw inferences. A lack of improved sorghum varieties was the major sorghum production constraint reported by 82.8% of participants. Farmer preferred ideal sorghum varieties were short to medium plant height with high grain yield. The quality attributes mostly preferred by farmers were baking quality, nutrition, and seed colour. Farmers in the study areas mainly grew unimproved sorghum varieties with low food values. Overall, the study provides the current evidence on sorghum production constraints and farmer-preferred attributes that will guide sorghum nutritional quality breeding with farmer preferred traits.

The effectiveness of agency-driven and community-driven recovery approaches is a discoursive material that appeals to many disaster management practitioners, scholars, international donors or governments. Meanwhile, the community has never been part of this discourse as beneficiaries to obtain its perspective on both approaches. Loli Dondo village, which received agency-driven and community-driven livelihood recovery after the 2018 Central Sulawesi Tsunami, was purposively selected as the site of investigation. This study aims to explore how both the approaches were perceived by the community. A qualitative research method involving focus group interviews (FGI), interviews and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) was used to explore and capture community narratives and collective storytelling to produce a visual analysis of the community’s problem-solving strategy and management. Based on the results, the community-driven recovery approach fulfilled the community standards and provided more impact than its counterpart. Several essential viewpoints were underlined for all approaches as follows: (1) the agency’s transparency to the community about financial conditions, (2) communication and active community involvement and (3) preciseness of the aid to community needs. These elements are expected to improve the implementation of such recovery programmes, thereby increasing quality and accessibility. The insightful community storylines, experiences and reflection support in building a better practice of livelihood recovery approaches for beneficiaries and also contribute widely to their implementation according to the community’s perspective. Contribution: These findings highlight the key elements of recovery implementation based on community perspectives to achieve impact of livelihood recovery.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) is a valuable crop in the dry regions of the world, including Namibia. Due to the intensity and recurrence of drought and heat stress in the traditional sorghum growing areas, there is a need to breed and deploy new generation farmer-preferred and climate-smart cultivars to serve the diverse value chains. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to assess the present state of sorghum production in northern Namibia and document farmers' perceived production constraints and trait preferences in new varieties to guide drought-tolerance breeding. A survey was conducted using a participatory rural appraisal in the following six selected sorghum-growing constituencies in Namibia: Kapako and Mpungu (Kavango West Region), Eenhana and Endola (Ohangwena Region), and Katima Mulilo Rural and Kongola (Zambezi Region). Data were collected using a structured questionnaire involving 198 farmers in 14 sampled villages across the regions. Results revealed variable trends in sorghum production among respondent farmers when disaggregated by gender, age, number of households, education level, cropping systems, types of varieties grown, and perceived production constraints. An equal proportion of male and female respondent farmers cultivate sorghum, suggesting the value of the crop to both genders in Namibia. Most respondent farmers (63.6%) were in productive age groups of <40 years old. In the study areas, low-yielding landrace varieties, namely Ekoko, Okambete, Makonga, Kamburo, Nkutji, Katoma, Fuba, Dommy, Kawumbe, and Okatombo, were widely cultivated, and most of the farmers did not use chemical fertilizers to cultivate sorghum. Farmers' perceived sorghum production constraints in the study areas included recurrent drought, declining soil fertility, insect pest damage, high cost of production inputs, unavailability of improved seed, lack of alternative improved varieties with farmers' preferred traits, lack of organic manure, limited access to market and limited extension service. The key farmers' preferred traits in a new sorghum variety included high grain yield, early maturity, and tolerance to drought, in the field and storage insect pests. The study recommends genetic improvement and new variety deployment of sorghum with the described farmers-preferred traits to increase the sustainable production of the crop in Namibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is traditionally cultivated under drought-affected and low-input agro-ecologies in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Wheat productivity in these agro-systems is considerably low (<2.4 t/ha) due to climate change-induced drought and heat stress, a lack of modern production technologies, including climate-smart varieties, and an array of biotic and abiotic factors. The objective of this study was to determine the potential of wheat production in drought-prone agro-ecologies and to assess farmers' practices and sustainable coping mechanisms and the role of improved cultivars in Ethiopia. A participatory rural appraisal (PRA) study was conducted involving 170 randomly selected wheat farmers in the drier areas of Arsi Zone of the Oromia Regional State. Results showed that wheat and tef (Eragrostis tef Zucc.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were the most widely grown cereal crops in the study areas as the primary food source and cash income. Yield losses varying from 63.1 to 73.8% were reported by farmers due to drought stress occurring mainly during grain filling stage. The majority of the respondent farmers (>50%) planted wheat in early July using the broadcasting method. Their land was of medium fertility, and the application of inorganic fertilizer was suboptimal. Due to crop failures by intense drought conditions in the study areas, above 50% of the respondent farmers had not expressed coping strategies against drought stress except resorting to government food aid. However, about 22% of the respondent farmers reported improved agronomic practices, such as the cultivation of early maturing wheat varieties and soil and water conservation methods as sustainable solutions to mitigate against drought. Therefore, current and future wheat breeding in Ethiopia should target drought and heat stress tolerance and adaptive crop traits as ideal coping strategies under low input agriculture systems for sustainable wheat production and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding demographic structures, production constraints, and trait preferences is essential for setting up crop breeding goals and enhancing adoption strategies for new varieties. The objective of this study was to document the sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) production constraints and preferred sorghum traits to guide breeding in Sierra Leone. A participatory rural appraisal was used to collect data from 210 farmers across seven districts in Sierra Leone in 2019. Results showed that all sorghum varieties in cultivation are landraces. Poor access to fertilizer (91%), lack of suitable varieties (85%), poor agronomic knowledge (79%), low yielding varieties (78%), storage pests (75%), field pests (67%), low soil fertility (52%), lack of market (49%), sorghum disease (43%), drought (16%), and heavy rainfall (12%) are key production constraints limiting sorghum production. Farmers expressed interest in adopting new varieties with high yield (99%), disease (84%) and pest (81%) resistance, drought tolerance (50%), white grain (59%), and short height (53%). The prioritized traits will form the basis for farmer-oriented sorghum breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Navy bean is an important legume crop in Zimbabwe. Although its production in Zimbabwe is limited by multiple constraints including biotic, abiotic and socio-economic, there is no documented evidence. Thus, this study aimed at identifying farmers’ production constraints, preferred traits and cultivars of navy bean, and strategies used to mitigate some of these constraints. Methods A Participatory Rural Appraisal approach involving transect walks, focus group discussions (FGDs), and formal surveys with semi-structured questionnaires was conducted in four villages of the Lowveld region of Zimbabwe. In each of the four villages, two FGDs (one for men and one for women) were conducted. A total of 176 (75 males and 101 females) navy bean-growing households were interviewed. Data from household interviews and FGDs was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists computer package. Results The most important constraints to navy bean production were drought stress (Females—86%, Males—73%), heat stress (Females—58%, Males—55%), power outages (Females—46%, Males—54%), poor soil fertility (Females—32%; Males—33%) and susceptibility to pod shattering (Females—32%, Males—43%). Mitigation strategies included mulching (18%), ridges (12%), reduced acreage (11%), and cultivating to retain more soil moisture (11%) for drought stress, while irrigating at night (32%), and adjusting planting dates (29%) were used to manage heat stress. Farmer-preferred traits included tolerance to drought and heat, early maturing varieties and disease resistance. Marketing constraints included non-payment for produce in hard currency, lack of diversity in terms of off-takers, high inflation, low grain producer price, delayed payment and breach of contract by contractors. Conclusion There will be increased adoption of improved navy bean cultivars if breeding programs address the aforementioned constraints and consider farmer-preferred traits when developing new cultivars. Breeders should work closely with extension officers to ensure that cultivars released are cultivated with appropriate agronomic packages for increased productivity and high adoption.

The purpose of this study is to reveal the management of the variety and quality of pottery products as a cultural heritage that contributes to the welfare of craftsmen and the community as well as the stability of local wisdom. Continuity and changes are made by the craftsmen as a result of the flood of products with the same function made of manufactured plastic. This study employed a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach, which used approaches and policies in Pagelaran Village, Malang Regency by involving the community as effectively as possible. The data mining technique is in the form of participatory mapping. The results showed that, to improve the welfare of craftsmen, they carried out a harmonious combination of adaptive behavior and adaptive strategies that were carried out explicitly or implicitly in response to various environmental conditions in order to promote the variety and quality of local traditional pottery products. The community implicitly carries out the process of adjusting the cultural heritage of pottery by maintaining the sustainability and continuity of local traditional pottery products. Meanwhile, the development of a variety of products is explicitly carried out which leads to a shift in the function of the pottery itself as an effect of socio-cultural changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]