Community Reparation: Partnership between Ministry of Agriculture and CCDH

As part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission, mainly on the community reparation program, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr. Aziz Akhnouch, and the CCDH President, Mr. Ahmed Herzenni, signed an agreement of partnership and cooperation on March 12, 2009.

Under this agreement on the rehabilitation of the regions of Er-Rachidia, Ouarzazate, Zagora, Figuig, Azilal, Khenifra, Khemisset, Nador, Al Hoceima and Tan-Tan involved in the community reparation program, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is committed to supporting the Saharan and mountainous plantations by improving irrigation systems, soil fixation, in addition to developing new forms of biological farming in tandem with the characteristics of the regions concerned, rehabilitating the pastures and supplying them with water.

The Ministry will also ensure the promotion of agricultural produces in these regions and facilitate their marketing, support the work of local coordination bodies of community reparation program, strengthen the scientific and operational programs and participate in the preparation of feasibility studies of the projects of persons wishing to set up agricultural and semi-agricultural corporations or in rural areas in the regions concerned.

The agreement also stipulates that the Ministry will train entrepreneurs in technical and managerial fields related to proposed projects and provide training for project managers and provide technical assistance to ensure the implementation of the program.

For its part, the CCDH will be responsible for developing additional partnerships to support the programs in the regions concerned, to facilitate coordination between the various local actors, collect information and draw up reports on the implementation of the community reparation program.

This agreement will be implemented according to the plan adopted by the CCDH as regards the community reparation program. A central committee composed of representatives of both institutions, which will oversee the program and validate the proposed program, will also be established.

This agreement came as a result of consultations and coordination between different stakeholders in the implementation of the IER recommendations, particularly the community reparation program. It also translated the involvement of the Government in the implementation of those recommendations.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Akhannouch said that the spirit of this agreement was in harmony with the principles of the Green Morocco Plan, which included all Moroccan regions and engaged all development players.

Also, he said that this plan highlighted the need to meet the aspirations of the rural populations, to ensure the conditions for a decent life while taking into account the preservation of the right of future generations to natural resources, including water and soil.

In addition, he said that his Ministry would work to develop the regions concerned, emphasizing the need to develop a forward-looking and operational program of action for the development of these regions.

Meanwhile, Mr. Herzenni said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries could but support the community reparation program since most of the regions concerned were rural and agricultural areas.

He said that this program ensured justice for regions in Morocco who suffered more from human rights violations in the past; it was a bridge between issues of the past and those of the future, i.e. economic and social rights.