This guideline is designed to assist in the preparation of technical specifications and the procurement of agricultural hand tools for emergency and development projects. It is primarily intended for use by FAO head office and field staff, agricultural and industrial extension officers and NGOs, companies bidding for tenders in this field, manufacturers and organisations carrying out the testing and acceptance procedures.

The specifications for hand tools given in this guide are more detailed than those used by FAO in the past. This has been done to ensure that good quality tools are purchased for FAO projects, while allowing them to be purchased from companies within developing economies in order to facilitate development within these countries.