North African Sub Region RAIS/ICT Steering Committee Report Otman sebbata ICT Specialist INRA Morocco Regional Training Workshop "Building National Capacities in Information and Knowledge in support of Agricultural Research for Development in Near East Region" Cairo, Egypt May /2009 1/13

1. Introduction 2. SC Main Activities 3. Sub-regional level 4. Regional level 5. National Level 6. Institutional Level 7. SC Level 8. Observations and Comments Content 2/13

Member of the Steering Committee for the Maghreb SRO and Moroccan NIFU Representative AS a Steering Committee member : Acting at different levels: SRO, Regional and National and Institutional Levels As a NIFUs representative and Head of the Information Unit at INRA: Acting at National, Institutional levels Some tasks are found at both levels (SC and NIFU). Aspects which are detailed in the NIFUs report will be briefly presented 1. Introduction 3/13

1. facilitate the management of an articulated and consistent set of collaborative programmes leading to a three-years plan of work, 2. monitor and evaluate the activities undertaken within this plan of work, 3. ensure that there is a timely delivery of the expected outcomes of the collaborative programmes, 4. facilitate the communication between all the stakeholders involved in these activities, 5. report to the AARINENA executive Committee. 2.SC Main activities 4/13

Maghreb SRO meeting 2007 held in Morocco to: – develop a common consensus for organizing our North African Research Institutes in a sub regional organisation (NoA-SRO) in the FARA and AARINENA fora; – Initiate the discussion on the institutionalisation of the NoA-SRO; – debate the organisational mechanisms through which the NoA-SRO will be coordinated. 3.Maghreb SRO Level 5/13

A project proposal on ICM and ICT activities prepared to be discussed and submitted to sponsors such as AfBD for the benefit of the member countries. Main aspects of the project: 1. Information system design and implementation taking into account the four modules related to Institutions, Experts, Research projects and research outputs; 2. Capacity building including identifying and conducting training needs, besides organizing workshops on high priority topics and information systems performance and impacts on research output; 3. Facilitation: publication of success stories; 4. Consolidation: development / sustaining information system interface and activation of national focal points; 5. Coordination by regional fora (FARA, AARINENA ) The project was discussed among Decision makers but no action taken for submission to the Afdb 3.Maghreb SRO Level 6/13

1. Contacts made to 3 countries since 2003 (Algeria, Tunisia, Lybia ) to inform on RAIS activities, circulate questionnaires and collect data. (Only tunisia IRESA and Algeria INRAA showed interests) 2. Contacts continued with Tunisia during second mandate to inform on RAIS activities, collect candidate’s names for a FARA distance learning program coordinated by ZADI Germany 3. contacts continued after Oman meeting with NIFUs to circulate information and reports made for this occasion. Support from IARCs would have contributed to better interactions at the SRO (Workshops, Visits) 4.Regional Level 7/13

Regular contacts with potential institutions (Training and Research Institutions) 1. ICM/ICT managers: Through s and on-site visits (more details in the NFU report) 2. Decision Makers: Sintesis note summarizing work done within the RAIS project and its impact for the national information systems was circulated with approval of INRA’s DG 3. First meeting held in 2009 with representatives from Moroccan institutions at the INRA information and communication division to discuss the launching of the NARIS, expectations, needs and recommendations. 4. A steering committee was set among Research & Training institutions made of ICT/ICM specialists and Decision makers that will define the NARIS chart, vision and action plan for the NAIS. Next meeting is expected in early june National Level 8/13

Advocating the project to Decision makers: 1. Reports are currently made to our directorates besides discussions with former DG on RAIS project and its impact on the national information system. Most criticisms made by our DG on project delays to take practical steps to translate recommendations into actions due to limited financial supports as compared to the FARA/RAILS project. 2. Mandated by DG to coordinate contacts made with the FARA and participated to the preparation of the FARA experts’ visits to Morocco. 3. Joined a group of decision makers at INRA to prepare a project on the SRO AIS to be submitted to the AfDBank. 4. a report on RAIS project was prepared to the new DG who was very receptive and gave logistic support to the first meeting held at INRA on NARIS 6.Institutional Level 9/13

1. On going ICT/ICM projects at INRA: 2. Website enhancement 3. Virtual library made of INRA’s grey literature and External resources 4. Digitizing of INRA’s information resources made of its Journals Awamia and Cahier de la Recherche Agronomique totalling pages and grey literature (researchers’ Reports) 5. Develop access to online resources: Agora and explore means for Science direct access 6. Use of Webagris 2.0 interface to integrate the INRA bibliographic database on the Net More details is found in the NIFUs report 6.Institutional Level 10/13

1. Writing progress reports on ICT/ICM situation 2. Participate to all meeting held during first and second SC mandates held in cairo, Iran, jordan, india and oman 3. Contribute to discussions launched before and after meetings to implement recommendations, NIFUs Terms of reference for the concerned focal points, and the RAIS three years Working plan 4. Reports on discussion teams during RAIS meetings 5. Participate to the AARINENA forum discussions on RAIS. 7.SC Level 11/13

Tools Nerakin application tool not yet circulated among NIFU’s Centres as recommended in the Oman Meeting, and despite E.mails from SC Coordinator and members Lack of support at the SRO level from IARCs. the launching of the National agric. Information system needs to be supported by some IARCs that collaborate within the RAIS “ICARDA, AOAD and FAO” to (a) held a One day workshop on NAIS strategy and (b) Organize and sponsor training workshops on the RAIS tools procedures within each SRO 8.Comments & Recommendations 12/13

Thank You 13/13