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RLDP (Rural Livelihoods Development Program)

Key message: RLDP opens up markets for the rural poor through initiatives that utilise market opportunities, improve market access, and ultimately increase returns for the poor.

Description

The Rural Livelihoods Development Program is located in four poverty-stricken semi-arid regions of Central Tanzania and aims at reducing rural poverty by linking the poor with markets and increasing their income. RLDP's vision is that poor rural households and communities participate in the market economy, improve the material livelihood, and withstand economic shocks by employing their assets and potentials. RLDP follows a value chain approach with interventions to strengthen value chains. It primarily acts as a facilitator and emphasises on skill development and extension services; it facilitates business development services and promotes financial services. Support to infrastructure is mainly seen to improve transport, storage and marketing of produces. At policy level the program contributes to the creation of an enabling local business environment. RLDP consists of a number of projects and R&D activities. Project ideas are demand-driven, generated by potential program partners and stakeholders. RLDP is backed by a bilateral agreement between Sitzerland and the United Republic of Tanzania. Program implementation is done through the specially set up Rural Livelihood Development Company. A consortium formed by IC and Swiss-contact facilitates the program and provides technical assistance.

Local partner: Government of Tanzania, private sector companies, trusts, NGOs

Fact sheet

Type: Long-term mandate
Start: 2004 End: 2010 Status: Current
Joint venture with: Swisscontact

Region: Southern and Eastern Africa

Country: Tanzania, United Republic Of

Working domain: Natural Resource Management | Rural Economy

Key topic: Micro and small enterprise promotion | Financial services | Product and market development in agriculture and forestry | Participatory methods | Gender balanced development | Rural livelihood systems | Commodity chains | Small infrastructure | Rural roads | Food security | Rural livelihoods and poverty | Micro-macro linkages | Human resource and institutional development | Knowledge management and innovation

Funding source: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

Staff

Project responsible: Heini Conrad

Responsible at Head Office: Martin Fischler

Advisors, programme officers: Felix von Sury | Heini Conrad | Martin Fischler | Philippe Vaneberg

Associated staff: Ramona Bolliger | Véronique Achermann

Contact

Address:
Rural Livelihood Development Company (RLDC)
PO Box 2978
Dodoma
Tanzania

Phone: +255 26 232 14 55 Fax: +255 26 232 15 57

E-Mail: info@rldc.co.tz

Website: www.rldc.co.tz

Resp. for this entry: hconrad

Achieving more together

Helvetas and Intercooperation entered a strategic partnership in 2008. Within the next 12 months, they will become one organisation under the name of HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation.