Questions have been recorded in the order in which they were asked and answered, with the clarificatory comment that nobody is an authority and there are no absolute answers.

1. Time Line : How should we go about the exercise? Do we ask leading questions or do we wait for people to recall what they feel are momentous events? (See example on page 8).

* Decide for yourself. Why are you doing the exercise? What kind of information do you want? With experience, the discussion process will get refined (provided you pay attention to it). But make sure that you give people a chance to express themselves.

2. On what do we base our choice of informants?

* Informants can differ from exercise to exercise and purpose to purpose. For E.g., older people may make better informants for timelines; but there is no point in involving an elderly person who has only recently moved into the village. Certain types of information can be better obtained from farmers, and certain other types from landless labourers. On some issues women may have a better knowledge than men and so on. Experience is a good teacher.

Ask yourself the question "Who should be present here who is not present?"

Women, children, old people, sick people and shy people are generally ignored, (poor people also, because they may hesitate to come forward). We must make an effort to seek such people out.

But whoever the informants, the best responses are obtained if prior appointments are fixed.

3. Why is ‘Time Line’ type of information required at all?

* It helps to establish rapport. It helps to study changes over time. Very often, the sequence of change and reasons for change may be more important than the changes themselves. Time line can give us leads for further questioning. Absolute accuracy is hardly necessary since the purpose is to study patterns and see trends.

4. How can we cope with divergent information?

* Divergent information offers good opportunities for learning. Ask for clarifications, talk to more people, cross check and cross check again. We may not only get closer to the truth but also find out more about the method, the informants, and our own ability or inability to facilitate discussions.

5. If PALM is to be used for planning in every village, can we afford the staff time?

* If we invest in participative planning at the beginning, we may in the long run be actually saving time, achieving better results, and be able to withdraw sooner from the programme. We need not use the whole range of exercises in every village. We may make sectoral plans as and when needs arise, rather than plan all programmes at one shot in every village. When PALM is used for programme planning we may find that some of the activities have already been initiated and so there may actually be lesser work to do than expected. For E.g., we may make a watershed development plan envisaging the construction of many structures, and anticipate that it will take us two years to complete the work. In discussion with the people and doing a transect and watershed model we may discover that many of the structures have already been put up by the farmers themselves, so our work is significantly reduced. Besides the above reasoning, it is also true that our experience of PALM has upto now been largely limited to training programmes only, where we have been spending a lot of time in coordinating the group, making presentations, etc. This may have given us the idea that PALM is time-consuming whereas in fact, it may not be so.

6. Are we having a ‘honeymoon’ with PALM? What if its attraction wears off?

* If we are serious about involving people and think PALM offers a useful framework for action, we will simply integrate it into our work pattern rather than seeing it as something separate. The novelty may die down but the methods become a part of process.

7. How do we compensate the villagers for their time spent with us on PALM?

* Choose a time that is not inconvenient to them (i.e. when the opportunity cost of their time is low so that they do not feel they are wasting it with you).

Hopefully, the people are gaining something out of the exercise as well! If the exercises are going to lead to action (E.g. in terms of initiating some programme) then in participation there is actually a benefit to them.

When farmers are being used as consultants (as suggested on page 6), we may think in terms of some form of payment.

8. Before entering a village to do a PALM exercise we usually go a day or two ahead and collect some advance information. What methods do we use then, and do they compare poorly with PALM?

* The need to get some advance information is only to save time during training and get down to the actual exercises faster. Besides, the information collected is very limited. If we are not engaged in training, there is no need for ‘advance information’. Such information can also form a part of the PALM process.

9. Why can we not use secondary data instead of PALM in every case?

* This discussion process yields much more and varied data. We can use PALM output and secondary data to confirm each others’ findings.

However, it is true that the use of secondary information is neglected. It has its own place even in PALM.

10. Is PALM feasible for entry into new villages (or is it more  appropriate for re-entry)?

* It can play a useful role in both (re-entry here is taken to mean that we have all along understood a village in a particular way, influenced by the ‘baggage’ we have carried with us into the village. We are now entering it again by understanding life as the villagers see and understand it).

11. How can PALM be a way of bringing about attitudinal changes?

* It requires a change of attitude to opt for PALM in the first place. Therefore, the use of PALM more than once both presupposes an attitudinal change and reinforces this change (though, of course, it need not work alike in all cases and with every person).

Use of PALM can result in attitudinal changes among the villagers as well, though this is something that has to be inferred from behaviour.

12. Can PALM be applied to solve social conflicts (or, can understanding of the village through PALM facilitate solving social conflicts)?

* PALM can be (and has been) used in identifying social conflicts and their causes. But solutions have to rely on other factors (E.g. common sense, timing of intervention, personality of intervenor, nature of conflicts, etc.,etc.).

13. How can we reduce bulk in documenting PALM exercises?

* Diagrams can help both in cutting down space and in simplifying the understanding and presentation of information. We need not produce attractive diagrams; only make sure that the information obtained is being correctly and clearly represented.

We can think in terms of writing up the notes from each exercise then and there, and setting aside some time for this purpose.

However, it is true that we are still left with a lot of data that requires to be analysed, organised and shared with others. We may have to think in terms of establishing a separate system to get this done.

14. Can PALM provide a strategy to withdraw from programmes and villagers?

* Please refer to question 5.

PALM can be used to come up with plans and programmes for groups that can prepare them to function independently. But it must be remembered that nowhere is it said that PALM is an end in itself. It is a part of a participatory process that also includes other components, the most important of which is facilitating the growth and development of appropriate people’s institutions that can enable people to continue to manage their programmes on their own.

15. When PALM is used for planning, how can we ensure that the outcomes are actually implemented?

* For PALM to be used in planning, we will have to devote more than just ‘training time’ to it. (Because upto now in most cases making plans has been a part of the training programme).

The first plan can, at best, be considered a draft plan. It will have to be taken back for discussions with all concerned.

The more the number of people (beneficiaries under the plan) involved in planning, the greater the chances are that it will be implemented.

The implementation of plans also depends on resource availability, and the commitment of all parties to contribute and use these resources to their best advantage.

Finally, the best of plans can alter once implementation begins. It is not something that happens with PALM plans alone.

16. In PALM documentation, how can we communicate the intangible, i.e. experiences (as against information)?

* We will have to use our discrimination. Include what you - and the people - think is important. As earlier said, there is no need to convert everything into numbers or categories. Some things can be recorded as they happened.Adjectives can be used for purposes of description.

17. Can we do a pilot project (in MYRADA) based entirely on PALM?

* By all means, but it will have to be done with sensitivity, maturity and understanding.

18. Can the analysis of information obtained through PALM also be made participatory (ie. why should the process of participation end with obtaining data? Can people not be involved in analysing this data as well?) How?

* (It was not possible to have a thorough discussion on this point. Though it was agreed that this should definitely be a part of the process, the question of ‘how’ was left unanswered. Individual practitioners may work out their own ways and please share them with others. In fact, if people are used only as informants and not involved in the process of analysis, then it is only an incomplete version of PALM).

19. How can PALM be used to introduce innovations into villages?

* The question can be reversed for an answer : do people want your innovation? What are their priorities?

Try and find people in the village who are prepared to try out something new, and introduce the innovation through them.

20. Can village youth be trained in PALM?

* Yes, why not. Also refer to Page 6 ‘Using farmers as trainers’.

21. Can PALM be used to influence public policies?

* Flexibility and discretionary powers available with Government functionaries are somewhat limited on account of procedures and need for standardisation. But it is (and has been) possible to influence public policy through PALM by involving senior officers in training programmes and also by demonstrating the efficiency of these methods.

Following this session there were brief clarificatory discussions on wealth ranking, transects, etc., which had been dealt with before but where a few doubts still persisted. A paper circulated on wealth ranking is available on request. Field exercises offered participants a choice doing transects, ranking and qualification, and seasonal analysis. Three out of the several charts produced have been attached to this report for their learning value.

This was followed by project wise discussions on plans for using PALM, attached as annexures to this report.

PALM - Action Plan - 1990-1991

Though only two PRA programmes have been conducted the project has clearly understood the relevance and applicability of PRA methods in its work. They can help the project in understanding development as people see it and in understanding people’s priorities, thus enabling appropriate and innovative interventions.

In order to realise the above objective the project has decided on the following plan of action :

1) A PRA resource team has been formed at the project comprising the following members :

a) Janardhan b) Arulswamy c) B.R.Bhat d) Krishnan e) Rajkumar

2) Enhancing and up-dating the PRA skills of the resource team on a continuous basis.

3) The project has decided to develop its own training materials on the use of various methods, showing the process involved in each method which will be used in its training programmes.

4) It has been decided to introduce certain commonly used PRA methods to all staff working in the project in a phased manner.

5) The team will help the staff in studying each sangha and in working out a development plan by actively involving the sangha members.

Development plans and withdrawal strategy using PRA methods will be formulated for atleast two sanghas every month.

6) As all developmental efforts whether channelised through individuals or groups, will have to lead to the development of the family, the PRA methods will be used in learning the developmental needs of each sangha members family.

7) Use of PRA methods for entry and re-entry in areas of Eastern, Far-Eastern and Bargur sectors.

8) Exploring the possibilities of training other NGOs in Periyar District.

PALM - Action Plan in general for one year from September 1990

II. PRA in practice

1. Gathering of information both new and old villages.
2. Evaluation and planning for the on-going NOVIB programme.
3. Planning of watershed for 2 watersheds.
4. Monitoring the watershed programmes.
5. Documentation of the programme progress.
6. Evaluation of the watershed programmes when required.

Action Programmes July 1990 - June 1991

Staff :

1. Staff Trainings in all       : 4 in all.One in each methods quarter.

2. Core team of six staff as second line of trainers 
including deputation outside the project. :  4 in all.One in each as quarter. 

Animators :

1. Methodology for 30 selected animators : 4 in all.One in each
 quarter.

Others :

2. Government Officials/ Bankers, Mandal Members: 2 in all. One each half  year.

II. PRA in practice

1. Employment opportunity oriented programmes.

2. Documentation of resources/programmes.

3. Evaluation of programmes.

4. PRA to gather information and planning strategy before entering new areas.

5. Policy planning for developmental programmes.

PALM - Action Plan - September 1990 to December 1991

1. Workshop to be held in January 1991 for project staff and other NGOs working with HIDA/MYRADA.

2. Training workshops will be held in July and December 1991 for projects and other Government agencies involved in the Project programmes.

3. All PRA exercises and reports gathered so far will be analysed for making a report, which will be used in project as a background information.

4. Project will send its staff to participate in PRAs conducted by other MYRADA projects and NGOs.

5. Fresh staff joining project will be trained in PRA methods by the senior staff of the project from time to time.

6. It is planned to give atleast one PRA task to each staff member every month. PRA exercises will be an on-going programme and new areas to explore possibilities.

Exposures will be arranged for staff of the project to build up a good trainers team for better implementation of PRA exercises in our programme implementation and development.

Lack of well trained staff at the field office level to conduct effective trainings.

To provide opportunity for selected staff to attend atleast 5 PRA sessions outside the field office and to provide a faculty to help the field office to conduct PRA exercises at the projects.

1. Building trainers among project staff.
2. Organising PRA trainings for the counter-parts/Government/ other taluk/volags.

1. Watershed planning for two watersheds
2. Monitoring the programmes (farmers)
3. On the job evaluation as and when required.
4. Documenting the programme progress. - Impact by PRA methods.

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