Beyond Problems Analysis: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Design and Deliver Environmental, Gender Equity and Private Sector Development Projects

The project, a partnership between IISD, MYRADA, and DFID, aimed to build capacity in Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to design sustainable development projects in rural India. It exceeded its initial targets, training 804 people from 70 organisations and engaging approximately 500 community-based organisations (CBOs) representing 10,000 people. Key outcomes included the mainstreaming of AI within MYRADA, the creation of a field-guide and training video, and the development of community visions focusing on gender equity, environmental improvement, and livelihood security. The report concludes that AI is a robust, motivating tool that complements existing participatory techniques like Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA).

• The project significantly exceeded its original target of 12 participating organisations, training over 804 people from 70 different organisations and engaging an estimated 500 community-based organisations representing about 10,000 people.
• Appreciative Inquiry has been mainstreamed within MYRADA, with approximately 80 percent of its workforce (about 320 staff) participating in training workshops and the organisation shifting away from traditional problem-solving paradigms.
• The AI approach was found to be highly complementary to Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques, with practitioners modifying PRA tools like mapping and Venn diagrams to facilitate the AI visioning process.
• AI exercises specifically supported gender equity by providing women's self-help groups a platform to feel valued and to develop visions for economic independence, equal education for girls, and the elimination of female infanticide.
• The project produced several knowledge-sharing resources, including a 35-minute training video titled “Appreciative Inquiry: A Beginning”, a multimedia internet site with over 8,000 hits, and a published field-guide titled “The Positive Path: Using Appreciative Inquiry in Rural Indian Communities”.
• While the project aimed to develop a formal measurement and indicator system, it instead suggested a shift from traditional 'evaluations' to 'valuations' that reflect on achievements and modify visions iteratively.

APA

Ashford, G., & Patkar, S. (n.d.). Beyond Problems Analysis: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Design and Deliver Environmental, Gender Equity and Private Sector Development Projects. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/myrada_beyond_final_report.pdf

Chicago

Ashford, Graham, and Saleela Patkar. Beyond Problems Analysis: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Design and Deliver Environmental, Gender Equity and Private Sector Development Projects. International Institute for Sustainable Development, n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/myrada_beyond_final_report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ashford |first1=Graham |last2=Patkar |first2=Saleela |title=Beyond Problems Analysis: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Design and Deliver Environmental, Gender Equity and Private Sector Development Projects |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/myrada_beyond_final_report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ashfordndbeyond, author = {Ashford, Graham and Patkar, Saleela}, title = {{Beyond Problems Analysis: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Design and Deliver Environmental, Gender Equity and Private Sector Development Projects}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/myrada_beyond_final_report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }