The Coastal Rural Support Programme in Tanzania (CRSP - T) is a multi-input area development programme of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF). In collaboration with the government of Tanzania, under its MKUKUTA poverty alleviation programme, CRSP - T takes a market development approach to support rural livelihoods and improve the quality of life through increased rural income. The CRSP - T overall goal is to improve the quality of life and social wellbeing of target communities in Lindi and Mtwara regions through sustainable socio-economic interventions in food security, income generation, health and education.
CRSP - T is of opinion that considering the years of government intervention in the market system, Agricultural Marketing Co-operative Societies (AMCOS) have not grown into the business that they should be and their potential has not yet been fully exploited. The Management of CRSP - T felt that the operations and services offered by AMCOS to hundreds of targeted sesame and rice farmers in Lindi and Mtwara need to improve. In order to achieve this, CRSP - T approached Match Maker Associates Limited (MMA) in July 2014 to facilitate business plan development for the two progressive AMCOS and subsequently, deliver a tailor made training to fifteen AMCOS (inclusive of the above two) from Mtwara and Lindi regions on the business planning process as a catalyst to the rest of the AMCOS in the two regions. Through this approach, CRSP - T believed that the fifteen AMCOS will be able to leave the training knowing their potential and the ability to design having their own new five year business plan. MMA successfully trained these AMCOS using highly participatory Business Model Canvas (BMC) concept that was well articulated by participants and already some AMCOS are implementing their business plans.
