The Farmers Field School (FFS) is the principal mechanism for project delivery. FFS membership is targeted at landless households, with most participants being female. Through regular FFS sessions, members develop a greater understanding of homestead farming technologies and of their own agricultural environment. To enhance the value of farmers' homestead production, the project promotes poultry and livestock rearing and pisciculture in addition to vegetable and fruit production. Farmers and staff develop a curriculum for field schools that allows farmers to set their own targets, plan activities, monitor progress and evaluate achievements.
Access to information, services and good quality inputs for FFS members and the local community is enhanced through Local Entrepreneurs (LEs) and other public and private service providers. LEs establish agricultural enterprises that support

homesteads. Village school students are taught homestead gardening.

To disseminate the technology widely, and keeping in mind cost-effectiveness and sustainability, the project works with local NGOs/CBOs. Partner organizations are assisted in delivering outputs and improving access to information, services and inputs. Staffs are trained to support farmer's innovation crop management and problem solving. Leadership skills, basic organization management and financial management of the NGO staff are also developed.

SHABGE works with poor women and men farmers in the North West of Bangladesh in the Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Rangpur and Gaibandha districts and in the South East part of the Cox's Bazaar, Chittagong and Bandarban districts. The project expects to see improved livelihoods for 337,000 poor households. It is also making an impact on the empowerment of women FFS members, particularly in conservative rural communities where their opportunities for social contact are limited. The project is helping FFS groups to evolve into self sustaining groups through which poor households can have shared learning, command the attention of service providers and develop a voice for themselves in the wider community. The project began in July 1999 and will continue until 2005.