The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) is an alternative economic model that places people and social usefulness at the heart of its concerns, over and above the profit motive. Its local roots make it a key player in local development, capable of responding to specific needs and creating social links. However, implementing the SSE for sustainable and inclusive local development raises a number of major challenges. These include
๐- ๐๐ฬ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ซ ๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฅ'๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฬ ๐๐ ๐ฅ'๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ
The first challenge lies in clarifying and recognising the identity of the SSE among local players (local authorities, traditional businesses, citizens). It is crucial to move beyond a sometimes marginal or purely associative vision of the SSE to highlight its diversity (cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, social enterprises) and its economic potential.
We also need to raise the profile and understanding of the fundamental principles of the SSE (limited profit-making, democratic governance, social purpose).
๐. ๐ ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฬ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข-๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ
In the era of decentralisation in Benin, local development through the SSE is intrinsically based on the ability to build fruitful collaborations between the various stakeholders. It is important to move beyond a competitive approach and encourage networking between SSE players, as well as with public authorities, traditional businesses and the grassroots population. For example, the creation of National Economic Cooperation Networks (NECNs) is an interesting approach, but requires a strong commitment and appropriate project engineering to overcome cultural barriers and power asymmetries.
3. ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฬ ๐ฬ๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ฅ'๐๐๐
While the social purpose is paramount, the economic viability of SSE enterprises is a sine qua non for their sustainability and their impact on local development. This undoubtedly requires the close involvement of local authorities and communities in promoting SSE initiatives.
๐. ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ซ ๐๐ญ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ซ ๐ฅ'๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ
The SSE as a lever for local development requires the ability to measure and value its impact beyond traditional economic indicators. Specific evaluation tools also need to be developed to take account of the creation of social links, the contribution to the ecological transition, the promotion of quality employment and the response to unsatisfied social needs.
Recognition of this "social added value" is essential for adequate political and financial support.
๐. ๐๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฬ๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ฅ'๐๐๐
Developing SSE at local level requires specific skills in social project management, participative governance, partnership development and impact assessment. A key challenge is to build the capacity of SSE players by training, supporting and professionalising their teams. Supporting the creation of local support and engineering systems is essential.
๐. ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐ฅ'๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ
For the SSE to become a real driver of local development, it must be fully integrated into local strategies and public policies, such as the fourth-generation Municipal Development Plan (PDC4). This implies strong political recognition, the introduction of appropriate support mechanisms (specific calls for projects, taking account of the specific characteristics of the SSE in public contracts, etc.) and the involvement of SSE players in local decision-making bodies. The challenge is to move from a one-off support approach to the structural integration of the SSE into development policies.
In conclusion, the Social Solidarity Economy holds considerable potential for fairer, sustainable and inclusive local development. Tackling the challenges linked to its definition, cooperation, financing, impact measurement, capacity building and integration into public policies is essential if this potential is to be fully released to serve local areas.
