This paper reports on a project of institutional capacity development for participatory research, undertaken by the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) in Morocco. The field work comprised a first stage of participatory rapid appraisal (PRA) training and a second stage of developing and testing a locally adjusted methodology for participatory research programme planning. A series of participatory and rapid appraisal exercises were carried out with researchers and development workers in four different locations with the objective of enhancing the knowledge, attitudes and practices of some 70 scientists and extension workers. While the duration of the project was too short for impact to become manifest and measurable, a number of lessons can be drawn with regard to the institutionalisation of participatory methods.