This article by Bardolf Paul (Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta in Indonesia) was originally prepared for a book called Pathways to Participation: Reflections on PRA edited by Andrea Cornwall and Garett Pratt for the Institute of Development Stuides 2003.

Participatory Rural Analysis (PRA) is a method for empowering rural or other low tech communities by giving them the tools to analyze their own communities. Such analysis is often much more accurate and insightful than that done by outside professionals from the academic world. The process of analysis also provides local villages and other communities with the basis they need to interact effectively with government and other outside business and institutional organisations.