This report is the product of a three month study carried out in Sri Lanka by a team from the Integrated Food Security Programme Trincomalee (IFSP) and SLE Humboldt University, Berlin. The study was an action and decision-oriented research project which sets out to design a participatory and integrated concept for village development. It aimed at providing its client- IFSP- with user relevant information. In addition, it was the objective of IFSP/CATAD to document the process of participatory approach development for other actors involved in this field. The study also discusses methodological and conceptual issues related to approach development, food security and cross cultural co-operation.