Abstract
This study aims to categorize the approaches of four projects which were analyzed and verified by two cut ends; 1) the Construction of Participatory Framework (CPF) to establish adequate rules and good organization, and 2) the Building of Farmers Capacity (BFC) to enhance farmers' capacity in technical and financial phases of their groups' activities. It was possible to classify the four project approaches utilizing results of semi-structured interview survey with key informants about the support strategies and the contents of support from projects to farmers groups in this study. It was confirmed that Triple C (the Sustainable Rural Development Project in the Provinces of Cocle, Colon and Panama), RSEN (The Selective Reforestation with Native Species), and PROCCAPA (the Panama Canal Watershed Conservation Project) were classified with the New Paradigm approach emphasizing people but MARENA (the Management of Natural Resources Project) was classified with the Old Paradigm approach which did not consider BFC. Triple C was classified as a Financial Emphasized Type, and RSEN and PROCCAPA were determined to be Technical Emphasized Types. According to the differences in the countermeasures for the lack of income generation to farmers, RSEN has been classified with Payment Approach and PROCCAPA has been classified Communication Approach. In the next study, this classification resulted through the scoring will be from the view point of farmers for verifying which approach promotes farmers participation more or which approach propels farmers' activities more effectively in order to contribute to the suitable design of future projects for sustainable management of natural resources.
