A framework for strenghthening site-regional research linkages

It should be noted that conventional research goals (quality data, high qualityscientific publications,replicable findings, etc)and development goals (community empowerment,integrating research targets and findings into on going development process, etc ) have been kept separate in the past-with research organizatios in charge of the former and development organizations the latter.However, given the general failure of conventional ''wisdom'' and methods to ensure thatboth in fact happen, AHI charged itself with exploring alternatives. for this reason, participatory action research was chosenas a possible research approach that might apply itself to both goals: the participatory action to the latter and the research to the former.AHI practitioners have notably been more used to using the conventional or formal type of research process, which has greater acceptance in their own community and institutions.However, as stated,limited impact and change has driven us to try their methods during phase2, research teams emparked upon testing participatory research through a participatory technology development(PTD)process. However emphasison the participatory weakened emphasis on the research -particularly in non-traditional research areas (social dynamics,institutinal change,etc).Thus we saw limitations in data quality and application of science to the development process. This limited our assurance that the methods used were actually leading to something more robust, and left our ability to achieve both goals wanting despite clear anecdotal evidence of change and technological adoption.

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