The technique of participatory research in community development.

Abstract

The technique of participatory research in community development is based on the involvement of the beneficiaries of the research in the entire research process, including the formulation of the research design, the collection of data, interpretation of information collected, and the analysis of findings. Thus, research teams utilizing this approach are composed of villagers, farmers, unemployed people, local leaders, and educators. The research process thus offers an educational experience that helps to identify community needs and motivate community members to become committed to the solution of their own problems. Moreover, this approach challenges the prevalent notion that only professional researchers can generate knowledge for meaningful social reform. A participatory research technique, based on the concept of citizen enlightenment for community development, was adopted by the Department of Adult Education at the University of Ibadan in a study of rural poverty in Oyo State's Apasan villages. The research team, comprised of local leaders, peasant farmers, teachers, local students, and university students, identified the villages' isolation and food scarcity as major causes of poverty. 2 actions were taken in response to these findings: 1) the construction of a road linking the Apasan communities with the State capital, enabling villagers to travel to the town, sell their goods, and purchase needed items; and 2) formation of a primary cooperative society for multipurpose farming. These actions have solved the food problem, improved the villagers' earning capacity, and resulted in the return of numerous villagers who had migrated to towns to find wage employment. Because the villagers were directly involved in the study of their problems, they were able to become more aware of their social reality and make the changes needed to lift them out of poverty.