Participatory Approaches for Inclusive Development

How can a board game improve nutrition in rural communities, and how can home-made videos offer valuable insights into farmers’ priorities? With participatory approaches, researchers can put end users at the center of their work, co-designing projects with communities who support in identifying the unique interests in their region and co-implementing the chosen activities in the benefit of sustainable farming practices, nutrition, and healthy landscapes. Exploring Alliance experiences of multiple participatory methods to increase projects’ inclusivity and legacy, this article draws from the experiences of researchers to evaluate these strategies that move from ‘top-down’ project planning – where external organizations choose, plan and implement projects developed in isolation – to participatory models that empower participants to lead the change in their region.