Participatory technology development (PTD) is an approach to learning and innovation that is used in
international development
International development or global development is a broad concept denoting the idea that societies and countries have differing levels of economic development, economic or human development (humanity), human development on an international scal ...
as part of projects and programmes relating to
sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture is farming in sustainable ways meeting society's present food and textile needs, without compromising the ability for current or future generations to meet their needs. It can be based on an understanding of ecosystem ser ...
. The approach involves collaboration between researchers and farmers in the analysis of agricultural problems and testing of alternative farming practices.
Origins
The origins of Participatory Technology Development can be found in a number of approaches, concepts and techniques that became popular in the 1970s and 1980s:
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Farming systems research and extension
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...
, an approach that introduced social-economic issues into organisations previously dominated by biological and chemical scientists. FSR/E also promoted the idea on 'on-farm' trials;
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Appropriate technology
Appropriate technology is a movement (and its manifestations) encompassing technological choice and application that is small-scale, affordable by locals, decentralized, labor-intensive, energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable, and loca ...
, a concept that recognises the importance of matching the design of technology to the resources and culture of the user.
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Indigenous technical knowledge
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention
*Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band
*Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...
, a concept that recognised the importance of local expertise and traditional wisdom;
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Participatory rural appraisal, a set of techniques that promoted the involvement of rural people in decision-making.
Process
One of the leading authorities on this process is th
''Centre for learning on sustainable agriculture - ILEIA''based in the Netherlands. ILEIA has described PTD as “a process between local communities and outside facilitators which involves:
* gaining a joint understanding of the main characteristics and changes of that particular agro-ecological system;
* defining priority problems;
* experimenting locally with a variety of options derived both from indigenous knowledge … and from formal science, and
* enhancing farmer’s experimental capacities and farmer-to-farmer communication”.
Facilitators
PTD facilitators are usually researchers, sometimes consisting of a team that includes both biological and social scientists. While PTD is closely linked to research, it often crosses the boundary into
agricultural extension
Agricultural extension is the application of scientific research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education. The field of 'extension' now encompasses a wider range of communication and learning activities organized for ...
because it involves learning activities with farmers.
See also
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Agroecology
Agroecology (US: a-grō-ē-ˈkä-lə-jē) is an academic discipline that studies ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems. Bringing ecological principles to bear can suggest new management approaches in agroecosystems. T ...
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Farmer Field School
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Farmer Research Committee
Farmer Research Committees (also known in Latin America as Comites de Investigacion Agropecuario Local or CIALs ) are an approach to community organizing and agricultural extension that provide rural communities and farmer organizations in develop ...
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Participatory development
Participatory development (PD) seeks to engage local populations in development projects. Participatory development has taken a variety of forms since it emerged in the 1970s, when it was introduced as an important part of the "basic needs approach ...
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Participatory rural appraisal
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Public participation
Public participation, also known as citizen participation or patient and public involvement, is the inclusion of the public in the activities of any organization or project. Public participation is similar to but more inclusive than stakeholder en ...
References
External links
AgriCultures Network magazines (Formerly known as LEISA magazines, articles on PTD can be downloaded from this site, available in five different languagesField Manual:Participatory Technology Development, produced by GTZ and Rockefeller Brother FundInternational Institute for Sustainable Development at Colorado State University
Explanation of Participatory techniques for extension, Learning AgriCultures education series, Module 7
{{DEFAULTSORT:Participatory Technology Development
International development
Rural community development
Sustainable agriculture