The craft sector draws up its balance sheet

The Regional Craft Development Plan for Fès-Boulemane (PDRA) 2007-2011 is coming to an end. Intended to ensure an effective and targeted implementation of the craft sector development strategy (Craft Vision 2015), the PDRA is beginning to yield tangible results. The balance sheet of the 5 years of implementation of this plan was presented by the regional craft directorate, during the general assembly of the Fès-Boulemane craft chamber, which met on 29 February in an ordinary session for the month of February. The balance sheet thus reports 37 projects programmed during this period covering the 4 axes of the plan.

Regarding support for the production of mono-artisans, 8 projects with a budget of 404 million DH have been set up. These projects concern, among other things, the improvement of the offer through design by creating new collections of craft products, meeting customer requirements, certified with the "Made in Fès" brand, the ruralisation of technical studies for the improvement of quality and production processes, as well as the establishment of supply circuits for raw materials by building, in particular, a leather Souk in Ain Nokbi. Particular interest has also been given to the reorientation and safeguarding of traditional trades in difficulty by safeguarding, in particular, the know-how in the matter and by launching training for the benefit of artisans in the techniques of traditional trades, which are in the process of disappearing, as well as the establishment of a product certification programme by organising, in particular, meetings with artisans to raise their awareness of standards relating to lead and cadmium emissions. In the same framework, the work of revaluing the activity zones of Ain Nokbi for coppersmithing and Benjellik, for pottery and zellij, is underway, while the substitution of gas ovens for traditional ovens is well underway, with in particular the setting up of training sessions for the benefit of mono-artisans for the use of these ovens.



On the side of support for the marketing of mono-artisans, Fès has seen the launch of 7 operations carried out at the points of sale to make them more attractive, at a cost of 834 million DH. Thus, regarding the revaluation of the historic Lalla Yeddouna square and the foundouks of Chemmaine, Sbitryine, Staouniyine and El Barka in the Medina of Fès, work is underway with a view to making these places, which have a strong cultural and heritage value, innovative spaces for the marketing of medium and high-end craft products. Furthermore, the project to create tourist circuits dedicated to crafts, to which the sum of 8.2 million DH has been devoted, is also on track.

In addition, 3 projects with a total cost of 55 million DH have been set up within the framework of the section devoted to support for the structuring of the SME fabric.

In this sense, new mechanisms have been established in partnership with the ANPME to promote the competitiveness of SMEs operating in the craft sector, particularly regarding technical and organisational aspects.

Furthermore, 57 new small and medium-sized enterprises have been created between 2007 and 2011, bringing the number of SMEs operating in the craft sector in Fès to 86 enterprises. Regarding the axis reserved for transversal measures, 19 projects have been set up with a total cost of 51 million DH. In this sense, the sum of 15.2 million DH has been devoted to the promotion of the region's crafts, through the organisation of press trips and participation in fairs, exhibitions and trade shows (Min Yadina, Dar Lmâalma, Siam…). Nearly 2.8 million DH was intended for the promotion of crafts on the national market through the organisation, in particular, of regional craft exhibitions, while the sum of 4.2 million DH was used to support SMEs for export. In the same register, 1 million DH was intended for the creation of a regional craft label, while the sum of 1.5 million DH was dedicated to commercial support and the promotion of collective brands by creating, in particular, the certification brands "Ziouani" collection for babouches and "Asil" for artisanal horse saddles.

Within the framework of the PDRA, mono-artisans have benefited over these 5 years from several complementary services, aimed at improving their working and living conditions. These services concern, in particular, the facilitation of artisans' access to microcredit and bank credit, the generalisation of medical coverage, the establishment of an approved accounting centre and the encouragement of mono-artisans to group together. In this framework, some 46 craft cooperatives were created between 2007 and 2011 in Fès, Sefrou and Boulemane. In light of these achievements and by 2013, Fès aspires to reach a turnover of 3.2 billion DH in the craft sector, i.e. an increase of 20% compared to 2006, as well as to create some 24,500 stable jobs.

Training at the heart of the PDRA

The PDRA of Fès-Boulemane has granted particular interest to the training of mono-artisans, placing it at the heart of its activities. In this framework, the establishment of a master plan for vocational training in the craft sector cost some 0.6 MDH and will allow for the training of some 5,785 graduates by 2015, whether in continuing education or in apprenticeship training. Furthermore, nearly 17 MDH have been reserved for the upgrading of the apprenticeship training centres of Ain Kaddous, the revitalisation of the Institute of Traditional Arts (IAT) of Fès as well as the rehabilitation of the Traditional Arts Vocational Qualification Centre (CQPAT) of Sefrou.

The establishment of a continuing education programme for the benefit of mono-artisans and SMEs required, for its part, the amount of 4.5 MDH.

Provider / Source : Afaf Razouki, Le Matin