For a community to be able to utilize all available resources effectively, it is important to understand how these resources have been changing over time. These understanding will enable a community map map-out strategies for overcoming undesirable resource movements. In addition it also gives a community a chance to tap into its collective experience to cope with current undesirable situations based on previous coping strategies. Participatory planning uses trends lines as a tool for doing this.
Implementing the tool
Trend lines are graphic representations of changes in resources activities over a long period of time. For good results, trends have to be resource specific although the discussion itself will raise wide ranging issues. The topics vary from place to place depending on the problems in the area. Commonly used topics are soil erosion, land productivity, tree cover, water availability, livestock and human population changes and rainfall pattern. To model a trend, enquire from the community which resources they think are currently a constraint. With that the community should discuss each in turn while modeling on the ground/paper. In rural communities it is preferable to model on the ground using local materials so as to increase participation of illiterate community members. It is important to note here that quantities do not represent absolutes but relative amounts.
The Output
The output
from a trend is normally a graphic representation of resource level over time. The tool helps development practitioners in understanding of resource movement
over a long time including the coping mechanisms in case of diminishing
resources. In addition it should provide information that gives ways of
utilizing the available resources efficiently based on previous experiences. As with other the information generated will constitute of a list of problems, coping mechanisms and potential interventions. This data will be input into the problem analysis stage.
