The Social and Solidarity Economy in Morocco

Between tradition and new production methods

Summary:

– The term « social and solidarity economy » (SSE) is polysemic, and the SSE is often defined as an alternative mode of production.

– In Morocco, recent developments in the social and solidarity economy are based both on an ancient traditional foundation and on international developments in the concept.

– In Morocco, the SSE has been conceived less as a response to exclusion and the crisis of social cohesion than to the poverty and marginalization of certain groups of individuals or territories.

– The challenge today is to move beyond a simple emergency response to precarious working conditions and impoverishment by structuring the SSE in a coherent and coordinated manner.

The term « social and solidarity economy » is polysemic. The definition and criteria for belonging to the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) are open to debate and may vary from one country to another. As a concept, the SSE can be understood either as an enrichment of political economy, as a critique and substitute for political economy, or as a complement to pure economics. There is a general trend towards a more inclusive vision of the SSE, defined less by the status of entities (cooperatives, associations, mutual societies, etc.) and more as an alternative mode of production. In Morocco, recent developments in the social and solidarity economy are based both on an ancient traditional foundation and on conceptual developments observed throughout the world.

1. Traditional concept of the social and solidarity economy

The culture of solidarity and collective work that forms the founding principle of the social and solidarity economy is part of the tradition and practices of Moroccan society. Forms of solidarity and mutual aid are the pillars of relations between individuals in the same community, particularly in rural areas, and take the form of activities such as touiza[1]or the management of habous[2]assets or property and operations related to their income. The jmaâ[4]is the institution that embodies the collective will to cooperate, and its tasks include the management, distribution, and regulation of rights to irrigation water, pastures, forest resources, etc. It is also involved in the management of space and certain collective facilities, as well as acting as an internal arbitration body. Its functioning is thus strongly reminiscent of the principles of the social economy in its modern definition, but these forms of mutual aid have tended to disintegrate under the influence of various demographic, economic, social, and political factors.

2. Historical development of the social and solidarity economy

The modern concept of the social economy was first mentioned at a symposium organized by the Department of Planning in 1987. However, the structuring and organization of the social and solidarity economy sector dates back to the 1990s. In particular, the implementation of the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) during this period resulted in the gradual withdrawal of the state from several economic and social areas, as well as a reduction in job opportunities and public services. The economic and social development plans implemented between 1988 and 1992 made the social and solidarity economy an alternative in terms of job creation and resource mobilization.

Within the social economy, the cooperative sector experienced early development. From independence in 1956, the cooperative economic model was a strategic choice for Morocco, ensuring national mobilization for the modernization and development of traditional sectors, particularly agriculture.[4]. The establishment of the Office of Development and Cooperation in 1975 structured the legal framework for these cooperatives[5]. Mutual societies, regulated by a 1963 law, are particularly active in the areas of social security, welfare, and solidarity. Finally, the voluntary sector, whose historical scope of action concerned the reduction of inequalities in income and access to basic needs (literacy, microcredit, integration of disabled people and street children, integration of women, etc.), has expanded into the socio-economic sphere, with local development and the reduction of infrastructure deficits (electrification, drinking water supply, opening up isolated areas through the construction of roads, tracks, bridges, etc.), areas that were previously the responsibility of the state[6].

From 1993 onwards, the consolidation of this social and solidarity economy led to the development of a social development strategy integrated into national priorities. The objectives included, among other things, the participation of disadvantaged populations in the growth process with a view to creating jobs, improving human development indicators, and protecting the most disadvantaged. To implement this strategy, several measures were deployed during the 1990s. A program of social priorities was defined for 14 of the 65 provinces, with priority given to access to education and healthcare and professional integration. Several programs for road construction, electrification, and drinking water supply in rural communities were developed by the state and local authorities.[7].

Since the 1990s, the sector has played a significant role in economic and social development programs. These were reinforced in 2005 by the launch of the National Human Development Initiative, based on a participatory approach that places SSE enterprises at the center of the human development process. The SSE in Morocco, especially its cooperative component, focuses on small producers who operate largely on a self-employment basis and constitute the bulk of the national economic fabric. Several sectoral strategies implemented by various ministerial departments (Green Morocco Plan, Vision 2015 for crafts, Vision 2010 and Vision 2020 for tourism, Halieutis 2020 Plan, etc.) also contain a section dedicated to small producers who could adapt to the social and solidarity economy (solidarity agriculture [pillar 2 of the Green Morocco Plan], niche and rural tourism, single craftsmen, artisanal fishing, etc.).

In addition, the issue of employment, particularly among young graduates, has encouraged increased efforts to integrate them into activities that generate stable income. Without replacing the role of public authorities, the SSE is seen as an effective means of economic and social integration for a large part of Morocco’s population. The SSE is designed as a continuation of several national programs that were launched with the aim of improving access to basic social services for disadvantaged populations. These include the Generalized Rural Electrification Program, the Program for Grouped Drinking Water Supply to Rural Populations (PAGER), Barnamaj Aoulaouiyat Jtimaiya (BAJ), and, of course, the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), launched on May 18, 2005.

It therefore seems that in Morocco, the SSE has been conceived less as a response to exclusion and the crisis of social cohesion than to the poverty and marginalization of certain groups of individuals or territories, particularly around the divides between inland and coastal areas or urban and rural areas. This concept is therefore similar in many ways to the « social economy » in terms of the types of organizations around which it is structured (cooperatives, mutual associations) and the « popular economy » of Latin American countries, and sometimes touches on the « informal economy » (activities that generate jobs and income but are not declared). mutual societies) and the « popular economy » of Latin American countries, and sometimes touches on the « informal economy » (where activities, although generating jobs and income, are not declared and integrated into traditional economic and political circuits)[8]. On this subject, see a BSI article by Lucia Lizarzaburu on an SSE experience in Peru).

3. The challenges facing the SSE today

Thus, the SSE in its organized, structured, and institutionalized form is fairly new in Morocco[9. The official definition of specific statutes has been developed gradually: for associations, Dahir No. 1.58.376 of November 15, 1958, and new Law No. 75.00 of July 23, 2002; for cooperatives, Dahir No. 1.57.187 of November 12, 1963, and for mutual societies, Dahir No. 1-83-226 of October 5, 1984, amended on September 10, 1993.[10]However, the development of the SSE faces several constraints: the absence of a legal framework to regulate and define the scope of the SSE; the multiplicity of institutions involved in this field without any synergy or coordination of action programs; the inadequacy and insufficiency of sectoral programs to support actors in the sector, etc.

In the wake of the constitutional change of 2011, Morocco has initiated several projects: reform of the legal framework, upgrading and strengthening the capacities of SSE organizations, support for marketing, etc. On the legislative side, laws relating to cooperatives, fair trade, and associations have been adopted or are under consideration. A framework law on the social economy has also been announced. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the general concept of the social and solidarity economy remains relatively poorly defined and little known in Morocco. It is often submerged in a vague concept encompassing small producers, crafts, cooperatives, associations, mutual societies, etc. Excluding those directly involved in the sector, it remains clearly unknown to a large part of the population, and even to many decision-makers and government officials.

The National Strategy for the Social and Solidarity Economy (2010-2020) defines the social and solidarity economy as « all economic initiatives seeking to produce goods or services, consume and save differently, in a manner that is more respectful of people, the environment, and territories » (p. 28). The list of sectors covered by SSE organizations is varied: agriculture, crafts, real estate, tourism, forestry, financial services, health and social services, employment integration, education, cultural activities, etc. The report identifies several possible structures:  » Depending on the mode of organization, these initiatives are generally carried out within the framework of cooperatives, associations, mutual societies, foundations, or any other type of organization that respects the values of the social economy. Companies, particularly very small businesses, that emphasize integration through economic activity, enabling unemployed people facing particular social and professional difficulties to benefit from employment with a view to facilitating their professional integration. (p. 28 of the report), but while the report goes on to provide an overview of local authorities, associations, and mutual societies, social enterprises seem to have been overlooked.

Conclusion

Today, the challenge for the SSE in Morocco is to go beyond a simple emergency response to precarious working conditions and impoverishment by structuring itself—both internally and externally—in a coherent and coordinated manner. The structural weakness of these activities makes it difficult for them to become sustainable and institutionalized, as well as to play a role as interlocutors at the local, regional, or national level. This observation paints a very fragmented picture of the dynamics of the SSE in Morocco, which contrasts with the picture observed in Europe and in certain countries in North and South America, where the concept of the Social and Solidarity Economy aims to respond to a broader range of societal needs by offering an alternative economy and mode of production.