25 November 2024
Originally published on the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.
Participatory video is a technique that puts cameras in the hands of farmers. Researchers Melissa Bonilla, Maria Delfine, Charles Mwizerwa, Rhys Manners and Anna Muller share how this approach can provide insights for more inclusive agriculture.
By: Melissa Bonilla, Maria Delfine, Charles Mwizerwa, Rhys Manners and Anna Muller
What do Rwanda’s picturesque landscapes look like to the farmers who grow maize, beans and potatoes there? What do they focus on when deciding which crops to grow? What matters most to their families?
To better answer these questions, we embarked on an enlightening journey with Maja Tillmann, a community filmmaker and agroecologist expert in participatory video processes with extensive experience working with Indigenous communities in China, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama, and Mexico. This intense learning experience that allowed us to immerse ourselves in participatory videomaking and to apply it in the field with local farmers who were implementing Tricot trials (a form of citizen science in which farmers compare and report on different crop varieties in their plots) together with One Acre Fund, a partner of the 1000 FARMS Project.
What is Participatory video technique?
Participatory video is a research tool that allows people to share their perspectives while recording videos. It consists of a series of different activities to create a two-way communication between the researcher and the participant in the research. In this way the power dynamics are changed, where the researcher is open to learning from the participants, and the videos become a tool to facilitate the conversation.
The process: empowerment through storytelling
In and southeast of Kigali, colleagues from IITA, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, and the One Acre Fund gathered for a workshop focused on mastering Participatory Video techniques through an Action-Reflection-Action process. Over five days, participants practiced hands-on video skills such as framing, shooting, and interviewing, applying these techniques with farmers in rural areas.
Fieldwork demonstrated the power of Participatory Video in capturing genuine stories and empowering participants. Daily reflection sessions helped refine techniques and improve video editing skills. On the final day, participants reflected on their learning and developed action plans to incorporate these tools into future projects.
Core principles learned were: practical application, empowerment through storytelling, and continuous reflection for improvement.
The results: “Film just like that”
Below is an example of a participatory video filmed by farmer Twambazemariya Florid and her husband, discussing her favorite crop:
The Participatory Video process offers insights that go beyond simple conversation by capturing deeper layers of understanding about how farmers make decisions. For example, while filming, we learned how Florid and her husband work together as a strong team in managing their crops, sharing knowledge not only between themselves but also with other family members. This exchange of information within their community contributes to the health of their crops, reflecting their collaboration. Florid also shared how her grandmother taught her farming techniques, and she showed us the banana variety she grows specifically to nourish her children. Her crop choices are clearly influenced by the goal of providing a balanced diet for her family, ensuring her children go to bed with full stomachs. This insight shows how Participatory Video can reveal the link between farming practices and nutritional decisions in this case, offering valuable perspectives that could inform crop breeding and adaptation efforts by emphasizing family well-being as a key driver of agricultural choices.
Reflections
The Participatory Video workshop had a profound impact on our team, underscoring the significance of participatory methods in research. We saw firsthand how Participatory Videos can bridge communication gaps, foster deeper understanding, and promote inclusive and free-flowing exchanges of knowledge, where both researchers and participants learn from each other.
During our field visit, we saw how Participatory Videos provided a platform for farmers to voice their experiences and share their stories in a powerful and engaging way. Their videos offered us a unique perspective, allowing us to see the world through their eyes and understand their context beyond a simple question-and-answer format.
We left Rwanda with a renewed commitment to use Participatory Videos in our future work, inspired by Maja Tillmann’s valuable expertise. She not only created a welcoming environment that encouraged us to express ourselves freely but also taught us that video is not just a recording tool, but a facilitator for opening meaningful conversations.
