The multifaceted impacts of participatory three-dimensional modelling (P3DM): experiences from the Solomon Islands (PLA 66)

The first article in Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) 66 is on participatory three-dimensional modelling (P3DM) and its capacity to mirror and address community needs, and this theme is reflected in the image on the cover of the issue. The authors describe the cases of Chivoko and Boe Boe in the Solomon Islands.

Although extensive work has been dedicated to the advantages of P3DM, limited effort has been made to provide evidence of its multifaceted impacts or identify the factors underpinning its effectiveness.

Combining P3DM with good facilitation generated community-led and community-controlled processes, with benefits that went beyond project boundaries. These ranged from ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change to sustainable natural resource management, from women’s empowerment to sharing cultural heritage. The P3DM exercise also became a critical tool for rights-based advocacy.