Creating a business model for Farmers’ Organizations in Tunisia: Lessons learned to strengthen and support their activities

Abstract

Farmers’ organizations have become a central element in agricultural policies and have established themselves as key partners in development programs in developing countries. This study aims to create a business model for Melyane Mutual Agricultural Services Company (SMSA) in northeastern Tunisia. This business model will define, on the one hand, the necessary resources (financial, technical, human) to re-alize its future projects and demonstrate their viability, and, on the other hand, the strategies to overcome existing constraints while leveraging local resources and creating sustainable activities. Semi-structured interviews and detailed surveys were thus conducted with the SMSA board of directors and its mem-bers. The business model, developed and validated by SMSA members, provides a clear strategy for income-generating activities to be implemented and investments to be made in the short and medium term. The development of SMSAs should therefore be integrated into a territorial development approach that focuses on enhancing local resources, with members leveraging their artisanal skills. Furthermore, considering the challenges SMSAs face in terms of effective management and visibility, their activities should be reinforced with a mechanism for technical assistance and support.