1. 3.1
PARTICIPATORY DESIGN

2. WHY PARTICIPATORY DESIGN?
To understand and agree priorities and make the best design for the system accordingly
To tap into long-time farmers knowledge on floods, slope of the land, sedimentation, etc..
Because it is (and will remain) the farmers system after all

3. Participatory Design: Two Stages
Agree on the priorities – what are the main issues and priorities in the area, how should the system be improved
Agree on the specific designs – what structures, where and what design

4. Set up farmers representative group, like a Farmers Design Committee
STEPS
Discuss specific issues and problems and set and rank priorities
AGREE ON
PRIORITIES
Walk through survey
Evalution of priorities and common agreement on design concept
Design meeting – agree on scope of works
Agree on cost sharing
Detailed designs
AGREE ON
DESIGN
Work agreement and initiation of the physical works

5. STEP 1 SET UP A REPRESENTATIVE GROUP

6. Participatory design is the negotiation with a representative and mandated group, such as a Farmers Design Committee
Discussion on the design should not be a loose discussion with ‘the farmers’

7. Local Steering Committee, Sheeb (Eritrea):
All project decisions – including design and timing – discussed and
agreed between project staff and traditionally elected farmer leaders
Project Director
Traditional Farmer Leaders
Project Staff

8. STEP 2 SYSTEMATICALLY DISCUSS PROBLEMS AND PRIORITIES

10. It is important to understand and come to terms with farmers priorities:
Farmers may have a different risk assessment than engineers:
If the river changes course they may be able to ‘catch’ it
They may be keen to capture all flood water and be willing to except some erosion
In many cases scour sluices
are closed so as not to loose
any water even if it causes
sedimentation of canal bed or
river

11. It is important to understand and come to terms with farmers priorities:
Farmers may have a different appreciation of the value of sediment then engineers for instance
They may want to exclude only the very coarse sediment or sediment from certain parts of the catchment, but otherwise appreciate its fertilizing value
Childrens drawing
showing great concern
that sedimentation pond
in modernized system in
Wadi Laba is intercepting
all nutrients

12. STEP 3 JOINT WALK THROUGH SURVEYS TO ASSESS FIELD SITUATION

13. JOINT WALK THROUGH SURVEYS
Systematically
walk the
entire system
JOINT WALK THROUGH SURVEYS

14. JOINT WALK THROUGH SURVEYS
Discussion and explanation
Pinpoint what
needs to be
done
Engineer
taking notes
JOINT WALK THROUGH SURVEYS

15. STEP 4 COMMON AGREEMENT ON PRIORITIES AND SCOPE OF WORK

16. USE PAPER, DRAWINGS, MODELS
INVOLVE FARMERS DESIGN GROUP
OR ANY AUTHORIZED GROUP

18. STEP 5 DESIGN MEETINGS

19. Understanding and consensus required
of the larger group

20. Agreement should
come after -
not before
discussion

21. Proposed design:
Gated Flood Channel Intake
Example

22. Final construction: Ungated Intake
No gate provided
Because farmers do not want the Irrigation
Agency (TDA) to control their intake

23. STEP 6 AGREEMENT ON COST SHARING

24. WHY COST SHARING?
PARTNERSHIP PRINCIPLE
TO AVOID ‘WISH LISTS’ AND INSTEAD
HAVE REALISTIC SCOPE OF WORKS
REQUIRES FARMERS TO BE
INTERNALLY ORGANIZED

25. DIFFERENT TYPES OF COST SHARING
IN CASH MONEY
BY PROVIDING LAND
BY PROVIDING LABOUR
BY DOING PART OF THE WORK

26. Agreement on cost sharing

27. Agreement on cost sharing

28. STEP 7 AND 8 AGREEMENT ON DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION

29. MAKE SURE FARMERS CONTRIBUTION ORGANIZED
THROUGH FARMERS
GIVE FARMERS COMMITTEE ROLE IN ASSESSING
EVEN SUPERVISING OVERALL WORKS

30. FINAL POINT…

31. ALTERNATIVE TO PARTICIPATORY DESIGN IS FARMERS MAKING THEIR OWN DECISIONS AND DESIGNS
FARMERS ARE QUITE
CAPABLE OF SUBSTANTIAL
CIVIL WORKS
THIS DROP STRUCTURE
IN WADI ZABID FOR EXAMPLE
HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED
BY FARMERS THEMSELVES