PACA Project: Structure and Challenges Jörg Meyer-Stamer

Basic structure of a PACA Project Build-up PACA Exercise Implementation

Main issues and challenges in a PACA Project Build-up PACA Exercise Implementation Management of ExpectationsIdentification, mobilisation, motivation of Champions Moving from ideas and excitement to action

Main issues and challenges in a PACA Project Build-up PACA Exercise Implementation Management of Expectations Identification, mobilisation, motivation of Champions Moving from ideas and excitement to action

Principles of Management of Expectations Address expectations at the outset There are many aspects to the management of expectations, including; –stakeholder identification –developing your messages/communications (good news and bad news) –channel strategy (contact each stakeholder via their preferred medium, such as print, , face-to-face, TV, etc) –working out what their current understanding and expectations are –working out where you need these to be –the timing and presentation of messages –building credibility, legitimacy and support –feedback loops - did the message get through?

Key rules for Management of Expectations in a PACA Exercise Do not create unrealistic expectations! –don‘t promise that you will solve the local stakeholders‘ problems! –don‘t give the impression that you come with a big bag of money! –don‘t promise activities which will overwhelm your capacity! –do not formulate proposals which are unlikely to be implemented! –limit the number of proposals, and mention who will be in charge of them!

Public Relations effort in the preparation of a PACA Exercise Assess the relevance of various media –newspaper, radio, local TV, Internet,... Assess the advantages and disadvantages –advantage: broad communication –disadvantage: little focus, may attract the wrong people Prepare Press / Media Releases –explain the principles of PACA –explain the rationale of the local PACA Exercise –explain who is running the Exercise –explain the expected outcomes

Main issues and challenges in a PACA Project Build-up PACA Exercise Implementation Management of Expectations Identification, mobilisation, motivation of Champions Moving from ideas and excitement to action

The two types of Champions in a PACA Project Build-up PACA Exercise Implementation PACA Host: Organising the Exercise, mobilising local actors PACA Project Champion: Implement practical activity

Why do we want to mobilise local players? Stimulate self-help potentials –unburden higher-level organisations Stimulate self-help in the private sector –unburden government Stimulate bottom-up development –use local know-how and creativity

How, when and where do we mobilise local players to become project champions? When and where: during the build-up phase to the PACA Exercise during the Kick-off Workshop during the Fieldwork –in interviews –in Mini-workshops during and after the Presentation Event How: some persons volunteer some persons want to be asked and then gladly volunteer some persons need persuasion and support often, like-minded persons need to be connected

What are the main challenges in mobilising local players? (1) Absence of organisations = reliance on volunteer work –needs strong motivation –needs a lot of available time –motivation suffers as a result of lonelinesss Distrust between public and private sector –needs strong incentive to work together Allergy to inefficient meetings –crucial role of facilitation / moderation / visualisation

What are the main challenges in mobilising local players? (2) Tradition of top-down, government-driven development Local players, non-government actors not used to collective action / joint problem solving PACA = facilitating radical change in approach to development –bottom-up –partnership between government, private sector, other players Radical change does not happen swiftly, in one step!

How not to deal with the Champion challenge Difficulty to identify Champions Action implemented in traditional top-down way Passive / beneficiary mindset of local players is reinforced

How to deal with the Champion challenge Difficulty to identify Champions Elaborate, with local players identified in PACA Exercise, realistic proposals (3 Criteria) Local players are empowered to pursue bottom-up development Local players move from simple to more complex activities, articulate more specific demand for external support

Identifying Champions: How to do it practically (1) During the fieldwork: –in interviews: Ask interviewees whether they want to champion a proposal they are making –after interviews: Discuss in the PACA Team whether the interviewee appears like a possible Champion –in a Mini-workshop: Invite very outspoken participants to become Champions –after a Mini-workshop: Discuss in the PACA Team whether any participant appears like a possible Champion

Identifying Champions: How to do it practically (2) In the second part of the Presentation Event: –invite participants to indicate their interest to champion specific activities to participate in specific activities –invite volunteers to a Way-forward Workshop on the following day

Conducting a Way-forward Workshop (1) Option 1, with a small group: –detailed discussion of implementation of a small number of proposals –apply Pfeiffer’s Six Points –define responsibilities

Conducting a Way-forward Workshop (2) Option 2, with a bigger group: –clarify proposals –initial discussion on how to implement –define responsibilities and make appointments for subsequent meetings around each proposal

Two weeks later Organise a Champions’ Breakfast –to signal commitment from your side –to motivate Champions –to connect Champions –to assess progress –to stimulate exchange of experience Turn Champions’ Breakfast into regular event

Main issues and challenges in a PACA Project Build-up PACA Exercise Implementation Management of Expectations Identification, mobilisation, motivation of Champions Moving from ideas and excitement to action

Moving from ideas and excitement to action A PACA Exercise usually builds a momentum: Local players get excited and motivated to do something about local development Why does the momentum evaporate? –stakeholders underestimate the amount of time necessary and overestimate the amount of time they have available –champions get discouraged as soon as the first obstacle appears –champions get the feeling that nobody cares –individual champions get lonely

How to keep the momentum? Rigorously apply the 3 Criteria to prioritise realistic proposals Identify Project Champions during the PACA Exercise, distribute work on many shoulders Make sure that Champions don’t get lonely High frequency of follow-up contacts and external facilitation Make sure that facilitation is facilitation, and not delivery –facilitation = constructive deflection!

More detailed structure of a PACA Project Build-up PACA Exercise Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 3 Activity 4 M+E PACA Cluster PACA

Options for LED strategies and the relevance of PACA Generic locational policy Strategic locational policy Reflexive locational policy * Streamlining of regulations * Business-friendly local administration * One-stop-agencies * Real estate development * Real estate information systems * Locational marketing * Definition of focal areas of local development * Align local stake- holders for a shared goal * Selective, targeted LED activities * Organising discussion and reflection with local stakeholders and external expertise * No joint definition of problem and shared goal * No joint strategy with serious co-ordination challenges PACA = very appropriate PACA = very appropriate PACA = less appropriate Opportunity for GENESIS Method

So what comes after PACA? Option 1: More PACAs –to monitor, energise and re-focus ongoing activities –to initiate more intense development activities in specific clusters or value-chains –to constantly adjust an LED effort to new opportunities and necessities Generic LED, Reflexive LED Option 2: From PACA to local strategy –PACA leads to alignment, sophistication and motivation of local players –Players agree to formulate an explicit LED strategy

Possible structure of a Two Year PACA Project FebruaryStart build-up MarchFirst PACA Exercise AprilImplementation MayImplementation JuneFirst appraisal JulyImplementation AugustFocussed PACA Exercise SeptemberImplementation OctoberImplementation NovemberSecond appraisal DecemberImplementation JanuaryImplementation FebruaryThird appraisal Launch GENESIS Implementation Complete GENESIS Focussed PACA Exercise March April May June Implementation Fourth appraisal Implementation July August September October November December Implementation Fifth appraisalYear 1 Year 2

Explaining the elements of a Two Year PACA Project Build-up and PACA Exercise –initial diagnosis of the local economy, definition of short-term proposals Implementation: of short-term proposals Focussed PACA Exercise –diagnosis of sector, cluster, value chain Appraisal: of process and results of implementation –possibly definition of new proposals or need for additional PACA Exercise GENESIS –local / regional strategy formulation exercise

Thank you for your attention!