SARD Project Toolkit

A resource guide for promoting SARD in projects and programmes

The SARD Project Toolkit provides an entry point into the many frameworks, approaches and tools that have been developed to promote sustainability in agricultural and rural development projects. The Toolkit helps readers to understand the scope of tools available, develop an initial understanding of them and compare the different tools. In this way, the SARD Project Toolkit can help readers choose which tools are relevant for their specific needs, operating context and project objectives and identify tools to investigate in further detail.

The Toolkit summarizes frameworks, approaches and tools that have been developed by practitioners working in agriculture and rural development and that have been tested in practice. It includes frameworks, approaches and tools that have been developed by various actors contributing to SARD, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partner organizations. To broaden the scope of tools included in the Toolkit there is no focus on the tools developed by any one particular organization. The Toolkit also includes some frameworks, approaches and tools that address similar issues in a slightly different way.

This is the first version of the SARD Project Toolkit. This version does not include any assessment of the relative merits of the different frameworks, approaches and tools nor does it discuss their application or provide examples of their use. This version is not intended to prioritize the frameworks, approaches and tools that have been included or to be used as a training resource. However, additional information may be incorporated in future editions of the SARD Project Toolkit to serve these purposes. Such information would be sought from practitioners who are experienced in the use of the specific frameworks, approaches and tools presented in the SARD Project Toolkit. Ideas for the development of future editions of the SARD Project Toolkit are presented.

In the meantime, practitioners can refer to the SARD Initiative Examples of Good Practice for case studies of good practices and lessons learned in implementing agriculture and rural development projects that seek sustainable outcomes.

The SARD Project Toolkit is designed for use by two principal groups. Firstly, it can be used by professionals engaged in the design of agriculture and rural development projects and who are seeking sustainable outcomes. This might include consultants, civil society, development organizations and missions within governments and United Nations (UN) agencies. The Toolkit can also be used by those who are involved in the implementation and monitoring and evaluation of existing and ongoing projects to address specific project management problems. This group might include project managers and administrators and government and United Nations agencies.

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Please note that the pdf version is divided into multiple files and has internal bookmarks.

For related information, please see:

SARD web site