The participants' acceptability of IADP using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) criteria: a preliminary investigation on farmers at Samarahan division, Sarawak

Abstract

The primary question or issue to be addressed by this study is to investigate the acceptance by the participants of Integrated Agricultural Development Projects (IADP) using the six PRA dimensions, namely - technical consistency, economic and financial soundness, expected benefits, implementation capacity, beneficiaries contribution, and sustainability (Chambers, 1980: 7). With these dimensions, the study can shed some lights on the acceptability of the IADP with the taste of the participants of such projects. Ninety- three farmers at Samarahan, Sarawak participated and interviewed for the study. Most of the participants gave favourable rating on the six PRA dimensions with a total mean score of 82.97/100. From the results of the study, IADA can see its strengths and weaknesses, and provide them with the invaluable feedback from the participants. On the other hand, the participants can get first-hand information about IADP and how the government projects can impact on their socio-economic life.