Strengthening the management capacity of Morocco ’s Chambers of Agriculture

1. Strengthening the management capacity of Morocco’s Chambers of Agriculture Presentation of the diagnostic assessment and recommendations Document 45 March 2011 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI.

2. Submitted to USAID/Morocco, Economic Growth Office - Assistance Objective 3: Reduced barriers to trade and investment By DAI Contract Number: EEM-I-00-07-00009-00: Task Order Number: EEM-I-07-07-00009 Morocco Economic Competitiveness Program 8, rue du Rif Souissi 10 000 Rabat Morocco Tel: (212) 05 37 63 05 59 Fax: (212) 05 37 63 05 61 andrew_watson@dai.com http://www.programmemec.ma The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

3. Objectives and contents • Presentation of the mission and its recommendations: • Diagnostic assessment • Recommendations • Discussion of the recommendations in order: • To evaluate their relevance • To improve them and make them more effective • The document is divided into three sections: • Presentation of the mission and its recommendations • Discussion of the recommendations in three workshops • Summary of the workshops and conclusions

4. The mission 1 2 Key components of the diagnostic assessment Key recommendations 3 Annex: Suggested trainings 4 Agenda

5. The mission • Subject of the mission: “Strengthening the management capacity of Chambers of Agriculture.” The mission focused on: • The Chambers of Agriculture in two regions: the Oriental Region and the Doukkala-Abda Region • All of the obstacles and possibilities for institutional, organizational, human resource and financial resource improvements • The objective was to highlight possibilities that would allow the Chambers to emerge as entities capable of meeting the challenges and expectations of the reform undertaken in connection with the Plan Maroc Vert (Green Morocco Plan).

6. Phase 1 FIELD SURVEY, DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT Phase 2 GUIDELINES Phase 3 CONSULTATION Phase 4 REFINIING of proposals and recommendations report Phase 5 CONCLUSIONS and final report The mission • The mission began in February 2011 and should result in the smooth and efficient implementation of several practical, feasible initiatives. • Key phases of the mission: • Feb.-March 2011: preliminary diagnostic assessment report with recommendations • Survey of risks that could prevent implementation of the reform • Proposal of an action plan aimed at addressing identified weaknesses • Implementation of the action plan

7. La Mission 1 2 Key components of the diagnostic assessment Key recommendations 3 Annex: Suggested trainings 4 Agenda

8. Key components of the diagnostic assessment • The field survey was conducted using a sample of two Chambers of Agriculture: • As part of our assessment, we met with: • Provincial Directorate of Agriculture (DPA) officials in each region • Management staff from each Chamber (meetings with the Oujda Chamber’s president and director to be scheduled) • Elected leaders from the Oujda Region • Farmers from the El Jadida-Doukkala-Abda Region Doukkala-Abda Region Oriental Region

9. Areas of analysis • Our analysis focused on the following areas: Structuring the organization Strengthening and clarifying governance Mobilizing resources

10. Meetings held 10

11. Involving Chambers of Agriculture in the definition and implementation of agricultural policy Governance Findings: • After the adoption of Law 27-08, considerable progress was made in granting the Chambers a new status to strengthen their role as advisors and advocates in the definition and implementation of national agricultural policy. • As of now, this role has not yet been fully developed in accordance with the provisions of the new law, and the two Chambers (Oujda and Doukkala-Abda) fear being relegated to a secondary role when it comes to agricultural issues; important meetings on agricultural matters are held without the Chambers being included among the key participants, and the Chambers rarely receive notes and information issued by Ministry departments and the Regional Directorate of Agriculture (DRA). Assessment: • Article 5 of Law 27-08 requires consulting with the Chambers’ governing bodies on any matter related to the future of agriculture. • Despite the responsibilities attributed to it by law, the Chamber’s contribution to the definition and implementation of agricultural policy seems to still be poorly understood, both by the regional offices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Fisheries (MAPM) and the Chambers themselves: • The practical mechanisms for coordination between the DRA and the Chamber are not clearly defined. • Elected leaders are still unable to fulfill the role given to them by the new law. • Chambers do not have complete access to all of the bodies that address agricultural issues; this limitation could in large part be due to an omission and particularly to a lack of effective communication with all of the Chambers’ partners.

12. Involving Chambers of Agriculture in the definition and implementation of agricultural policy Governance Possible areas for improvement: • Targeted communication efforts should be made to allow the Chambers to reaffirm their legitimacy and professional representation of the agricultural sector as well as their desire to promote their public service mission of assisting farmers and rural areas. These efforts should be carefully planned using a well-articulated strategy that is developed by the Chamber and consistent with the regional agricultural development strategy. • Communication efforts may include periodic briefing notes, sponsorship of agricultural events, contributions to research and survey work, the publication of thematic guides (organized by sector, program, profession, etc.). • Coordination mechanisms should be defined with regards to the sharing of responsibilities between the Chamber and other key actors involved in the agricultural process. These detailed definitions should propose a clearer separation of responsibilities between the DRA, local governments and supervisory authorities in order for the Chamber to transparently establish its mission to help farmers and be recognized. • Educating elected leaders on their new regional role and their new responsibilities in the agricultural landscape.

13. Involving Chambers of Agriculture in the definition and implementation of agricultural policy Governance The new legal framework gives the Chambers a wide range of responsibilities, making their participation in any agricultural issue essential Legal powers (Art. 4 of Law 27-08) Thematic mandates • Represent and promote the interests of farmers • Contribute to education in agriculture and rural development • Contribute to training and educating farmers • Help support investment and employment in rural areas • Establish partnerships with other stakeholders in the agricultural sector to promote local and regional investment • Encourage the organization of farmers into professional organizations • Conduct agricultural projects, field surveys and technical studies • Organize or participate in events and fairs • Consulting and expertise • Organization • Experimentation and benchmarking • Training and education • Livestock output measurements and product analyses • Studies and programming • Support and assistance for the development of innovative projects (individual or collective) • Advisory role in determining the direction of agricultural policy 13

14. Involving Chambers of Agriculture in the definition and implementation of agricultural policy Governance The rationale behind the Chambers requires, first and foremost, their elected leaders understanding their duties in keeping with their legal status Mission 1 • An advisory mission: the Chambers submit opinions to the public authorities on any issue related to agricultural policy or development Mission 2 • An assistance mission to help farmers with their individual and collective projects (education, support, etc.) • This assistance mission cannot be carried out without mobilizing several other partners around these projects, particularly in the framework of regional agricultural development programs: DRA, Regional Agricultural Development Authority (ORMVA), DPA, work centers (CT), National Food Safety Office (ONSSA), etc. • The Chamber serves as the best sponsor for preparing, managing and even developing partnership agreements with specialized bodies (Agency for Agricultural Development, ADA). 14

15. Involving Chambers of Agriculture in the definition and implementation of agricultural policy Governance The rationale behind the Chambers is focused on a series of basic tasks that make it possible to distinguish them from the other MAPM bodies also responsible for agricultural and rural development Act as the interface between the public authorities, civil society, associations, etc. Be forward-thinking and proactive Rationale Pool together expertise and propose policy visions (“Agricultural Parliament”) Coordinate, synergize, propose, mediate Assist farmers 15

16. Ensuring that Chambers continue outreach to farmers Governance Findings: • With its new regional role, the Chamber is gradually losing its outreach capabilities and faces constraints in coordinating among all the provinces in the region. • The new organizational system is limited to defining governance methods at the regional level and does not suggest any possible variants to ensure the Chamber’s proper functioning at the provincial level. • The absence of widespread outreach activities makes it impossible to access certain farming populations, with the Chamber risking a loss of credibility among a section of its electorate. Assessment: • Law 27-08 defined a new organizational framework to facilitate the Chamber’s integration into different public regional bodies. • Expanding the Chamber’s scope of action at the regional level was seen as a handicap, given the lack of sufficient resources to ensure the continuity of program implementation in widely dispersed communities: • Mobility problems, both for outreach efforts and for coordination/consultation with elected leaders. • Staff limited to a few people who alone are unable to provide optimal coverage of all of the region’s provinces. • This perception is different from the real role that elected leaders are supposed to play, which is based on the power of concentrated representation, traditionally held by the Chamber president.

17. Ensuring that Chambers continue outreach to farmers Governance Possible areas for improvement: • Discussions should take place on how to implement the Chamber’s actions outside the area where it is headquartered, which will require a change in the body’s current organization and greater involvement of elected leaders, technicians and local partners. • The Chamber should develop its territory-based strategy as part of a dynamic and effective partnership bringing together all of the stakeholders and professional organizations (DRA, DPA, local governments, professional associations, cooperatives, development and research organizations, etc.) around shared objectives. Sharing resources to meet identified technical and economic objectives should make it possible to obtain the desired results and ensure consistency among initiatives. • This approach will require the development of a contracting and support system aimed at effectively implementing partnership agreements. A coordinating body should be created at the central level to facilitate the smooth implementation of this new approach to intra-regional coordination. • Training and education activities on the fundamental role of the elected leader at both the regional and provincial levels should also be planned.

18. Ensuring that Chambers continue outreach to farmers Governance Enhancing the Chamber’s accountability will require the development of a contracting system to establish the scope of its activities and manage expectations Ministry of Agriculture Chamber of Agriculture Contracting system Enhancing the accountability of Chambers of Agriculture Budget developed by the Chamber of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry Program direction Choice & Implementation Matching resources and needs Optimizing use of the budget Providing support Striving for efficiency Activity reports & assessments CHAMBER MINISTRY 18

19. Findings: To date, the budget remains the only management tool available to the Chambers. The Chambers have no formalized development strategy that clearly reflects their needs and the actions planned to meet them beyond one fiscal year. Defining a multi-year development strategy Governance Assessment: • Law 27-08 clearly stated the need for a strategic plan and an annual action plan. • At this point, the Chambers are not yet ready to define an efficient, territory-based strategy, which would also require the availability of qualified resources capable of successfully carrying out such planning. • New employees have just been hired, but they still require initial training on how to constructively conduct strategic studies and manage projects. • The Chamber, which is the advisory and professional body that represents agricultural interests to the public authorities, should go beyond simply meeting budgetary objectives and develop a credible strategy that fits within the regional vision of the Regional Agricultural Plan. This strategy should also be approved by all of the partners (DRA, MAPM, ADA, local governments, Regional Council, etc.). 19

20. Defining a multi-year development strategy Governance Possible areas for improvement: • Develop a well-defined agricultural development strategy in each Chamber. The strategy should fit within the vision of the Regional Agricultural Plan and avoid competition with other partner structures (DRA, CT, DPA, etc.). A strategy could be envisioned for 2011-2013, for example. • When necessary and logical, ensure that there are sufficient allocations to cover the financial cost of all actions included in the strategy, whether through public subsidies or financing contracts for specific programs. • Plan trainings for Chamber technical staff on multi-year programming and the technical and economic requirements for conducting projects and strategic studies. 20

21. Conflict over responsibilities for Chamber management Governance Findings: • The roles of elected leaders are often poorly understood, resulting in confusion as to the responsibilities for managing the Chamber’s day-to-day affairs (recurring conflicts between directors and elected leaders, etc.). • In the two regions (Oujda and Doukkala-Abda), the Chamber’s executive branch has complained about elected officials’ unwarranted involvement in the Chamber’s day-to-day affairs. This situation is problematic, creating several centers of command and directly conflicting with the principle of coordinated management, which the Chamber’s management department is supposed to represent. Assessment: • Law 27-08 clearly defines the responsibilities of directors and those of elected leaders. • The conflict stems primarily from a poor understanding of the roles and responsibilities among Chamber stakeholders. • It is further fueled by weaknesses in management procedures: • Budgetary spending is executed against the budget. However, the budget as it is presently designed sometimes lacks details on the specific purpose of certain expenditures and includes no specific procedure for covering expenditures for certain programs (similar to donor procedures for granting funding: World Bank, USAID, French Development Agency (AFD), etc.). This lack of detail leaves the door open to endless discussions with elected leaders. • There is no guide for elected officials that clearly defines their roles and especially their limitations when it comes to management procedures. Law 27-08 states that an elected leader may only intervene in certain matters with the express authorization of the General Assembly.

22. Conflict over responsibilities for Chamber management Governance Possible areas for improvement: • Initiatives should be planned to educate elected leaders on their new responsibilities. These may include trainings, elected leader “guides,” artwork conveying specific messages on the content of the reform, workshops for both elected leaders and technical staff, etc. • Plan to assign appropriate procedures on how to implement certain actions to specific program expenditures, determining: • Criteria for choosing beneficiaries (for example, trips and participation in fairs) • Ratios on the breakdown of certain expenditures (proportionate share of entertainment expenses, etc.) • Prior approval of the implementation plan before the release of funds, etc. • The director is facing an organizational change to which he or she is not accustomed, requiring extensive mediation efforts to ensure that elected leaders understand the director’s new responsibilities. We recommend educating directors on how to manage organizational change in a context of overlapping interests. 22

23. Conflict over responsibilities for Chamber management Governance Law 27-08 clearly distinguishes between the responsibilities of elected leaders and those of the director Elected leader responsibilities (Art. 28 & 29 of Law 27-08) Director responsibilities (Art. 37 of Law 27-08) • Establish the Chamber’s Rules of Procedure • Organize General Assembly sessions and set the agenda • Carry out and follow up on the decisions of the General Assembly • Develop the Chamber’s draft budget • Monitor the execution of the Chamber’s budget • Look for solutions to the problems delegated to it by the General Assembly • Consider all of the matters that will be presented for approval to the General Assembly • Between General Assembly sessions, issue opinions and present recommendations on urgent matters. • Ensure compliance with the measures and procedures in force • Carry out the decisions of the General Assembly and the secretariat • Oversee administrative and financial management • Plan, lead and coordinate the activities of the departments under his or her responsibility • Implement the Chamber’s programs and the strategic guidelines and activities of the departments under his or her responsibility • Execute the Chamber’s budget and oversee financial management • Supervise the recruitment, evaluation and training of Chamber staff • Attend secretariat and General Assembly meetings in an advisory capacity. VS 23

24. Conflict over responsibilities for Chamber management Governance The responsibilities of both elected leaders and the executive branch must be clearly understood by everyone to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the Chamber. Elected leaders play a fundamental role in defining the Chamber’s general development policy, either within a general framework (General Assembly and secretariat) or by specific topic (specialized committees organized by topic). • The executive branch ensures the implementation of the policies and guidelines issued by the elected leaders while monitoring compliance with the legislation in force and the national policy orientations determined by the public authorities. Assembly 24

25. Conflict over responsibilities for Chamber management Dual roles for management staff Governance Operational role (program management) • Guidance, organization, expertise • Training and information • R&D, benchmark development, experimentation • Conducting of analyses and technical inspections • Development of studies and programs Functional role (support activities) • Management • Programming and budget execution • Administration • Finances and IT • Human resource management • Assistance, documentation, supervision, etc.

26. Conflict over responsibilities for Chamber management Procedures Governance Concrete internal communication actions in support of change management are essential in order to facilitate the implementation of the new organization Internal communication This project should have the support of all stakeholders: elected leaders, Chamber employees and the Ministry. It is vital to the agricultural development project. It is important to explain to the different stakeholders (elected leaders and Chamber technical staff) the importance of the changes under way and their beneficial impact (a significant improvement in working conditions for employees, more reliable information, improved efficiency and operational effectiveness, improved ability to meet deadlines and comply with procedures). For their part, employees should make a significant effort to ensure the project’s success and change certain old habits. Monitoring the implementation of the new organization One person must be appointed to monitor the implementation of the new organization. 26

27. Conflict over responsibilities for Chamber management Governance Change management Management • Share the same vision of the implementation project • Actively support the project (sponsor) • Communicate with staff • Make the change understandable and operational • Develop the staff’s capacity to change • Manage resistance Professions and skills • Formalize job descriptions • Organize trainings on new skills • Transfer skills and knowledge Management Change management Culture & Behavior Professions and skills Culture and behavior • Values (commitment to public service) • Attitudes • Individual practices (employee accountability) • Work practices • Willingness to serve Organization • Organizational structures • Positions • Procedures • New roles and responsibilities Organization

28. Strengthening the role of elected leaders to enhance efficiency and credibility Governance Findings: • The president accepts a heavy responsibility in making commitments for agricultural development. Assessment: • Law 27-08 recognized the role of elected leaders in finding solutions to the problems delegated to them by the General Assembly. • This role, which falls somewhat short of the expectations of the new law, comes essentially from the elected leaders’ poor understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Possible areas for improvement: • Greater education for elected leaders as to their true role in agricultural development and education. • Strengthening the elected leader’s local role in his or her province by establishing specialized committees. • Establishing steering bodies (steering committees) open to professional partners for making strategic decisions about the region’s agriculture, both at the provincial and regional levels.

29. Conflict over responsibilities for Chamber management Three roles for elected leaders Governance Public institution Provide a public service for regulatory tasks– Play a mediation role Service organization Establish development guidelines – Determine priority actions and the mechanisms for funding them Assembly of elected leaders Define the general agricultural interest in their purview – Provide guidance on any agricultural or agriculture-related issue

30. Survey tools and regional agricultural diagnostic statistics Resources Findings: • The Chambers do not have any tools for defining their agricultural area of responsibility (farmers and crops). • Individual efforts have been made in the Doukkala-Abda Region and are planned in the Oriental Region, but they may not be consistent or streamlined. Assessment: • The Chambers still do not have IT tools. A current project will make it possible to equip Chambers with budgetary and administrative management tools. • No database containing statistical information is currently operational. Possible areas for improvement: • In order to support the guidelines established by elected leaders and provide analytical information to inform their guidance, the Chambers’ economic researchers need to organize their statistical information and use it to conduct prospective and descriptive analyses of changes in operating systems, markets and contexts. • Develop a partnership with the MAPM’s regional organizations to use the data they collect. • Design and put in place a platform to store all of the data that may be useful and relevant to the management of agricultural statistics. This should be done in coordination with the Chamber’s entire network for greater optimization and streamlining.

31. Expanding sources of Chamber funding Resources Findings: • The Chambers’ financial situation is adversely affected by their over-reliance on public subsidies. Assessment: • Law 27-08 expanded the scope of resources to fund agricultural development and education efforts, but without concrete action, these measures will not actually be implemented in the field. Possible areas for improvement: • Discussions should be held on resources to use to expand the sources of Chamber funding: donor sponsorship, contributions to the development of structural agricultural projects, assistance in optimizing the supply chain through improved production assessments combined with the effective and secure management of agricultural inputs. • Initiatives to assist farmers could usefully be enhanced (renegotiation of collection fees, etc.) and, as is customary, billed at prices that could boost the Chambers’ own resources. • Strengthening the Chambers’ capacity to conduct analyses and prospective studies. • Efforts to promote agricultural products could be made more effective by establishing a financing agreement with the national and territorial governments.

32. Expanding sources of Chamber funding Resources In addition to its inherent agriculture-related tasks, the Chamber should undertake actions aimed at expanding its presence in the territory (a key issue in the new regionalization strategy) “Marketing” approach “Research Office” approach • By obtaining funding through involvement in territorial development procedures (objective important to local governments) • By obtaining investors, using an organization that develops close relations with local decision-making arenas • By enhancing expertise in territory projects, making it ultimately possible to boost the Chamber’s political weight • By enhancing the potential role as an agricultural advisor, particularly in cross-cutting areas where the administration is generally ineffective “Agricultural Development” approach “Development Agency” approach • By maintaining close ties with the territories through local structures made available to the Chambers by the public authorities in order to strengthen their outreach capacities and their detailed understanding of the issues facing each community • By maintaining professional legitimacy through local representation. The approach is one of territory-based agricultural development. • Aimed at building a shared vision of agriculture with society • By establishing a team of local development advisors that plays the role of a territorial organizer, making it possible to access a large segment of farmers and even open possibilities for co-financing with the Regional Council and other authorities 32

33. Recruitment of new executive staff, requiring a skills enhancement program Organization Findings: • In 2010, the national government allocated funds for the recruitment of 4 to 5 new employees. • These new employees are not yet at the fully operational stage where they can effectively fulfill their new responsibilities. Assessment: • The decree on the organization of the Chambers clearly defined the duties of the different senior positions identified in the organization chart. However, this vision has two limitations: • In Oujda, the organization has not yet been put in place, in part due to the physical distance separating the management staff (based in Nador) and executive staff (based in Oujda). • In Doukkala-Abda, like in Oujda, the new employees seem to still be confused, due to a lack of guidance in one case and hierarchical confusion between the management and elected leaders in the other, which is linked to the problem of distinguishing between the responsibilities of elected leaders and management examined above. • Our interviews with farmers in the two regions highlighted their expectations of the Chambers in terms of guidance and strategic assistance to help them choose a path for developing their farms in a context marked by unfavorable marketing conditions for farmers downstream and major risks to managing inputs upstream. These expectations are an opportunity for the Chambers, making it possible for them to make optimal use of their own expertise, but this type of assistance is proving difficult to provide due to a lack of secure resources and an inadequate strategic vision for the Chamber.

34. Recruitment of new executive staff, requiring a skills enhancement program Organization Possible areas for improvement: • A program to strengthen the executive staff’s capacity should focus on the following: • Strengthening their capacity to manage projects and organize meetings • Developing analytical and research skills in the Chambers so that they can become credible sources of proposals and discussions on agricultural issues • Structuring advisory activities in order to best support project directors in the development and implementation of their business projects: • Support for setting up the project • A pre-installation visit to develop an initial approach to ensure the project’s consistency and feasibility • A post-installation visit to conduct an initial assessment of the project’s implementation and the functioning of the business • Support in undertaking the administrative steps to obtain authorizations, access to Agricultural Development Fund (FDA) subsidies, etc. • Actions aimed at strengthening the staff’s administrative capacity: market management, project management, administrative management, legal assistance, accounting, human resource management, IT tasks, budgetary management, financial management, asset management. • Support for the establishment of new management procedures, particularly with a clear definition of roles and responsibilities in order to avoid any misunderstandings among elected leaders. 34

35. Recruitment of new executive staff, requiring a skills enhancement program 1 2 3 4 5 Organization Vectors for Chamber staff development Controls (monitoring reports, consolidation of data, management tools, information system, internal controls, compliance, etc.) Existing: Target: Empowerment (greater involvement in establishing the budget, greater ownership of agricultural development projects, etc.) Operational effectiveness (Clear management procedures, clear assignment of responsibilities, streamlining of redundant tasks, etc.) 35

36. Findings: The MAPM took the initiative to establish a department in each region reporting to the DRA and responsible for relations with the Chambers of Agriculture. This department is represented at all secretariat/General Assembly events and meetings organized by the Chamber. This role, however, could be likened to a traditional form of supervision, which could prove to be far from the spirit of coordination and complementarity at the heart of the new Chamber reform. In practice, the actions of the Chamber and the regional MAPM representation lack in certain cases enough synergy to coordinate and synchronize them more efficiently. Actions organized by the Chambers could at times conflict with similar actions conducted independently by the MAPM’s regional departments. With the Chambers lacking a formal strategy (beyond one year), the Regional Agricultural Plan (PAR) is presented to the Chambers’ governing bodies for information purposes only (this is the case in Doukkala-Abda, where the PAR was presented to elected Chamber leaders by the Regional Director), with no possibility of taking the Chambers’ suggestions or proposals into account. Coordinating Chamber of Agriculture and public administration activities Organization 36

37. Coordinating Chamber of Agriculture and public administration activities Organization Assessment: • The basis for relations between the Chamber and the supervisory authority is established by Article 5 of Law 27-08: the Chamber of Agriculture is the advisory and professional body that represents its region’s agricultural interests to the public authorities. It issues guidance and proposals on any matter falling within its jurisdiction or relating to the development of the region’s agriculture. • The implementation of this formal regulation, which presents the relationship only as an exchange of opinions and information, should not prevent the MAPM’s regional departments and the Chambers from more informally engaging in ongoing discussions in the common interest of developing the region’s agriculture. • This option should be made mandatory within the MAPM’s internal procedures so that the Chamber’s important guidance can be formally acknowledged in any decision involving the region’s agricultural interests. • We believe that to design an effective development strategy, a small technical group including representatives from the DRA/ONSSA and representatives of the Chamber’s elected leaders and management should meet to devise proposals. As noted above, this strategy should avoid competition, make it possible to streamline efforts and funding, and, above all, lay a sustainable foundation for heightened cooperation. 37

38. Coordinating Chamber of Agriculture and public administration activities Organization Possible areas for improvement: • Establish procedures aimed at making coordination between the Chamber and MAPM departments officially mandatory, particularly in the following areas: • Preparation and validation of the regional strategy contained in the PAR (we believe that it would be preferable that the PAR explicitly contains a space reserved exclusively for the Chamber of Agriculture, meaning that the Chamber will already have given its opinion on the overall content of the regional strategy, including the distribution of roles on both sides) • Establishment of a working group that will meet regularly on the initiative of the Regional Director and/or Chamber president to coordinate actions and funding for agricultural development and/or education. • In terms of training/education, given the Chamber’s limited resources, it should be responsible for conducting basic activities to promote and coordinate training efforts with DRA/DPA departments. This should allow the Chamber to better orient training efforts with respect to the real expectations of farmers and above all to avoid the useless duplication of actions already being undertaken by MAPM departments. 38

39. Coordinating Chamber of Agriculture and public administration activities Organization The need to reorganize responsibilities at the provincial and regional levels should allow each region to strengthen its synchronization efforts and integrate the efforts made on both sides The Chamber should receive outside assistance (from local MAPM structures) so it can increase its scope of action, given its limited resources. This effort will require the strengthening of capacities to conduct analyses and prospective studies at the Chambers’ regional level. = Role of the Agricultural Council 39

40. The mission 1 2 Key components of the diagnostic assessment Key recommendations 3 Annex: Suggested trainings 4 Agenda

41. Key recommendations Obstacles to efficient governance Definition of the organization STRENGTHEN AND CLARIFY …by adapting STRUCTURE Availability of effective and sufficient resources DEVELOP ANDMOBILIZE

42. Transition plan • The desire to develop the activities of the Oriental and Doukkala-Abda Chambers and to bring their management models up to good governance standards led us to analyze all of their activities and adopt operational solutions. • To develop a target operational model, we proposed adopting a transition plan based on the following themes: • Governance • Resources • Organization 42

43. Transition plan 43

44. Steps for implementing the new organizational approach Implementation process Change management Support for the implementation of the new organization Communications management Training Redeployment of skills Expanding sources of Chamber funding to support projects New information system in accordance with public authority requirements and in compliance with reliability and performance standards A new budgetary architecture based on accountability and performance management New management procedures with a clear division of responsibilities among the secretariat, civil servants and the administration

45. Help the Chamber put its new organization into place ACTION 1 Governance Objective • Reorganize the Chamber’s responsibilities between the regional structure and provincial authorities to strengthen outreach capacities • Promote the implementation of the Chamber’s new mode of governance so that it can fulfill its role as a contact for agricultural partners Challenge Improve the Chamber’s performance by building on existing resources and possibilities for synergies with the MAPM’s structures and human resources Description • Establish a charter clearly specifying the Chamber’s different possible areas of intervention in accordance with its status and the issues in the region • Develop an assessment indicating the expectations of each province and the possible changes that could be made individually or with partners • Structure the governance of elected leaders through an action plan aimed at strengthening their provincial presence to help farmers using MAPM structures and resources (DRA, DPA, CT, etc.) • Establish a monitoring committee at the regional level in order to: • Facilitate the implementation of the new coordination structure at the provincial level • Provide top-level support to elected leaders in pursuit of regional development initiatives. Priority High Responsible parties Chamber, DRA, DPA, CT 45

46. Improve fiscal governance ACTION 2 Governance Objective Put in place program contracts to determine specific MAPM expectations for the use of public subsidies granted to fund agricultural programs under the Chamber’s responsibility Challenge Manage the execution of expenditures and prevent sources of conflict that could arise between elected leaders and Chamber management Description • Every budget approved by the MAPM will be accompanied by procedures that could take the form of program contracts, making it possible to define: • The purpose of the budgetary expense • Its specific breakdown by type of expense • The conditions required for executing the expenditure (selection criteria, ratios that must be met, etc.) • The need for additional justifications for the expenditure beyond the Chamber’s usual execution procedures • The execution report, to be produced by the Chamber after the execution of the expenditure • This will require the prior change to the budgetary structure undertaken as part of the Chamber’s organizational restructuring. Priority High Responsible parties MAPM financial department 46

47. Develop education activities for elected leaders ACTION 3 Governance Objective Develop activities to educate elected leaders on their new responsibilities under the organizational reform of Chambers of Agriculture Challenge Educating elected leaders will allow them to understand their responsibilities and particularly their limitations in matters of Chamber management Description • Develop a guide for elected leaders in order to: • Describe their new regional role and new responsibilities in the agricultural landscape • Clearly define the responsibilities of elected leaders in day-to-day Chamber management • Develop trainings on the following roles of elected leaders: • Institutional: limitations on responsibilities, roles and duties in terms of budgetary monitoring and advice on agricultural policy • Operational: education, outreach to farmers and coordination with territorial bodies • Organize educational workshops with Chamber management to support the foundation of the Chamber’s new governance structure and clarify any sources of ambiguity in understanding the limitations on each actor’s responsibilities Priority High Responsible parties Chamber management in coordination with the MAPM 47

48. Document the Chamber’s action plan ACTION 4 Governance Objective Develop a Chamber action plan placing expectations alongside the actions planned to meet them Challenge Ensure that the region’s concerns are taken into account in line with the direction of the Regional Agricultural Plan (PAR) Description • Structure and organize the Chamber to develop outreach activities (in each community) by sector. This structuring should take into account each elected leader’s belonging to an electoral area. • Develop a schedule of meetings for each community (province) in order to inform and present the Chamber’s new direction and objectives • Draw lessons from these provincial meetings • Implement the strategic action plan resulting from consultations with elected leaders and the MAPM’s regional representations • Determine agricultural development priorities and more particularly the mechanism for organizing and conducting territory-based projects Priority High Responsible parties Chamber, DRA, MAPM Financial Department, Directorate of Education, Training and Research (DEFR), and Directorate of Strategy and Statistics (DSS) 48

49. Put in place tools for coordinating with partners ACTION 5 Organization Objective Design mechanisms to unite all of the key stakeholders in implementing agricultural development activities Challenge Streamline efforts to make gains in operational effectiveness and avoid obstacles that could delay the implementation of certain activities Description • Establish steering bodies (steering committees) open to key partners (DRA, Chamber, local government, ADA, ONSSA, etc.). The committee should aim: • To decide on a shared strategic vision of the region’s agricultural issues • To define reciprocal operating procedures for specific topics (education activities, demonstrations, data collection, agricultural and territorial development, etc.) • To promote the sharing of information on all of the region’s key issues through a reporting system tailored to the needs of different partners • To make all of the Chamber’s actions more credible to its partners • Establish the operating guidelines for these bodies to ensure that they function more efficiently and with greater regularity • Document the development strategy integrated into the objectives laid out in the Plan Maroc Vert Priority High Responsible parties Chamber, DRA, MAPM Financial Department, DEFR, and DSS 49

50. Develop a targeted and effective communication approach ACTION 6 Organization Objective Develop a communication strategy aimed at raising awareness of the Chamber among farmers and public and/or financial partners Challenge • Ensure the Chamber’s permanent presence among farmers • Improve the Chamber’s representation among different partners Description • Develop materials to raise awareness of the Chamber (territories covered, potential offered, services rendered, institutional and operational organization) • Make specific communication tools available to Chambers to allow them to implement the “Institutional Reform” project with national and/or local stakeholders • Coordinate communication activities between all of the Chambers of Agriculture, particularly by: • Developing a unique graphic identity • Developing an organization chart with all Chamber actors and their contact information • Developing an Internet/intranet network for all of the Chambers Priority Medium term Responsible parties Chamber / Federation 50