ABSTRACT
CARE’s LIFT (Local Initiatives for Farmers’ Training) project is a production technology transfer programme for a technology which does not require significant capital investments and can be undertaken mainly without credit. The project has its roots in the agricultural development programme (ADP), which aimed to produce exotic’ varieties of vegetable for sale in the high-value Dhaka market. However, the high cost of inputs required led to a shift in focus towards local varieties for sale in local markets. This also created an interest in regenerative agriculture in the form of low-cost, local resource-dependent gardening techniques. The target group shifted to landless and marginal farmers. There was a new emphasis on providing a mix of inputs to growers, rather than simply credit and marketing as had been provided before. The need for training and the transfer of sustainable, appropriate technologies became apparent.
