In 1965, economist and philosopher E. F. Schumacher had an article published in The Observer,[2] pointing out the limitations of aid based on the transfer of large-scale technologies to developing countries which did not have the resources to accommodate them.

He argued that there should be a shift in emphasis towards intermediate technologies based on the needs and skills possessed by the people of developing countries.

Schumacher and a few of his associates, including George McRobie, Julia Porter,[3] Alfred Latham-Koenig and Professor Mansur Hoda, decided to create an "advisory centre" to promote the use of efficient labour-intensive techniques, and in 1966 the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) was born.

[4] [5] From its origins as a technical enquiry service, ITDG began to take a greater direct involvement in local projects.

Following initial successes in farming, it developed working groups on energy, building materials and rural health, and soon grew to become an international organisation.