FAO has been promoting the concept of the "Village Workshop" as an indispensable unit for supplying and maintaining hand tools in optimum conditions to support agricultural development in rural areas. Local blacksmiths have a key role to play in this context. Blacksmith training manuals at various levels have been prepared to provide artisans, with a suitable training programmes to improve their knowledge in a gradual process. These manuals are available in English, French and Spanish. The approach to training is to provide artisans with opportunities to make their own set of workshop tools during the initial training sessions. The enhanced training can increase trainees efficiency at work in using standard and improved workshop tools to make, as well as repair, agricultural hand tools. These facilities are intended to offer professional services and inputs to the wider farming community at the local level.

FAO has prepared:
Guidelines for the technical specifications and procurement of agricultural hand tools