Sections
 

Status: Closed

LEAF (Livelihoods, Empowerment and Agroforestry Project)

Key message: Encouraging and equipping small farmers to take responsibility for their own development

Description

LEAF works towards poverty reduction of small and marginal farmers in the NW of Bangladesh through the development of human and institutional capacities and a better management of their resources – especially through agroforestry.
The central theme is to encourage farmers’ organisations to take charge of their own development. It involves equipping them to identify their development priorities and implement joint plans; subsequently linking them with service providers and local government agencies; encouraging and equipping them to exploit the market; and developing a critical mass of farmer joint-action through interaction between geographically close groups.
A parallel activity promotes an enabling environment for these farmers and their organisations. Of particular interest is

(1) the further development of associations of commercial nurseries and
(2) the promotion of proximity technical services in agroforestry through commercial service providers and resource farmers.

Cross-cutting the above approaches is the promotion of rights and social issues. The Project is starting to address the needs of the extreme poor and ethnic minorities – as well as promoting the status of women at the household and community level.
Partners include over 1,400 farmer groups, 1,800 nursery owners, 87 sub-district and 20 district nursery associations, 11 local NGOs as well as numerous institutional links.

Local partner: Bangladesh Agric. Research Institute, B. Forest Res. Inst., B. Ag. Res. Council, B. Agr. Univ., Department of Ag. Extension, Forest Dept, GTZ-SFADP, local NGOs, nursery associations, civil soc. org...

International partner: Swisscontact / KATALYST, GTZ, CARE

Fact sheet

Type: Trust fund project
Start: 2004 End: 2010 Status: Closed

Region: South Asia

Country: Bangladesh

Working domain: Natural Resource Management | Rural Economy | Local Governance and Civil Society

Key topic: Strengthening of associations and interest groups | Product and market development in agriculture and forestry | Seed and seedling marketing | Home gardens | Fruit trees, berries, spices and herbs | Agricultural advisory/extension methods and strategies | Farm forestry | Participatory methods | Gender balanced development | Rural livelihoods and poverty

Funding source: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

Staff

Project responsible:

Responsible at Delegation/Representation: Felix Bachmann

Responsible at Head Office: Philippe Vaneberg

Contact

Address:
IC LEAF
House 128, Sector-2
Upashahar Housing Estate
Rajshahi 6202
Bangladesh

Phone: ++880 721 761873; 860916 Fax: ++880 721 761904

E-Mail: icleaf@bttb.net.bd

Website: www.intercooperation-bd.org/leaf_details.php

Resp. for this entry: azmulhuda

Achieving more together

Helvetas and Intercooperation entered a strategic partnership in 2008. Within the next 12 months, they will become one organisation under the name of HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation.