Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ROME1415
2004-04-09 11:29:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

USAID/ROME HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE VISITS WFP PROGRAMS

Tags:  EAID EAGR AORC PREF SENV FAO WHO WFP UNESCO 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 001415 

SIPDIS


FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

AMEMBASSY LIMA FOR AMBASSADOR STRUBLE AND ACTING USAID
DIRECTOR YAMASHITA
STATE FOR AS/IO HOLMES, PRM/P, WHA/AND, WHA/EPSC FOR SUMMIT
COORDINATING OFFICE AND IO/EDA BEHREND/KOTOK
USAID FOR AA/LAC, DAA/DCHA GRIGSBY, DCHA/FFP LANDIS
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS/TILSWORTH/GAINOR
GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLEY AND NKYLOH/USAID
USUN FOR LTAMLYN/MLUTZ
BRUSSELS FOR USAID/LERNER
NSC FOR JDWORKEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF SENV FAO WHO WFP UNESCO
SUBJECT: USAID/ROME HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE VISITS WFP PROGRAMS
IN THE PERUVIAN ANDEAN REGION OF HUANCAVALICA

REF: (A) ROME 1392, (B) ROME 1010, (C) 03 ROME 5076

-------
SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 001415

SIPDIS


FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

AMEMBASSY LIMA FOR AMBASSADOR STRUBLE AND ACTING USAID
DIRECTOR YAMASHITA
STATE FOR AS/IO HOLMES, PRM/P, WHA/AND, WHA/EPSC FOR SUMMIT
COORDINATING OFFICE AND IO/EDA BEHREND/KOTOK
USAID FOR AA/LAC, DAA/DCHA GRIGSBY, DCHA/FFP LANDIS
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS/TILSWORTH/GAINOR
GENEVA FOR AMBASSADOR MOLEY AND NKYLOH/USAID
USUN FOR LTAMLYN/MLUTZ
BRUSSELS FOR USAID/LERNER
NSC FOR JDWORKEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR AORC PREF SENV FAO WHO WFP UNESCO
SUBJECT: USAID/ROME HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE VISITS WFP PROGRAMS
IN THE PERUVIAN ANDEAN REGION OF HUANCAVALICA

REF: (A) ROME 1392, (B) ROME 1010, (C) 03 ROME 5076

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. US MISSION/ROME HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE TIM LAVELLE VISITED
PERU MARCH 27-31, AND TRAVELED TO THE PERUVIAN ANDEAN REGION
OF HUANCAVALICA TO REVIEW WFP OPERATIONS. WFP'S PROGRAM IS
RIGHTLY FOCUSED IN THE PERUVIAN HIGHLANDS, WHERE POVERTY
RATES ARE NEARLY DOUBLE THAT OF COASTAL REGIONS. WFP'S
PROGRAM IN PERU IS AT A CROSSROAD. THE NEEDS OF THE ANDEAN
GEOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENTS CONTINUE TO BE OVERWHELMING, BUT
RESOURCES ARE FEW. WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JIM MORRIS WILL
VISIT LIMA NEXT MONTH AND US MISSION ENCOURAGES EMBASSY AND
USAID PERU TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE JIM MORRIS AT THAT TIME. END
SUMMARY.

--------------
BACKGROUND
--------------


2. US MISSION/ROME HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE TIM LAVELLE VISITED
PERU MARCH 27-31, AND TRAVELED TO THE PERUVIAN ANDEAN REGION
OF HUANCAVALICA TO REVIEW WFP OPERATIONS. AT PRESENT, WFP
FOOD ASSISTANCE RESOURCES ARE PRINCIPALLY TARGETED TO THREE
OF PERU'S POOREST, MOST FOOD-INSECURE DEPARTMENTS -
AYACUCHO, APURIMAC AND HUANCALAVELICA. PROGRAMS INCLUDE
SCHOOL FEEDING (PROVISION OF A DAILY-FORTIFIED BISCUIT AND
AN ENRICHED DRINK) AND FOOD-FOR-WORK INTERVENTIONS DIRECTED
TO REHABILITATION OF ANDEAN MICRO-WATERSHEDS. IN ADDITION
LITERACY TRAINING FOR 14,000 WOMEN IS PROVIDED, WITH
PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON NUTRITION, HYGIENE AND INCOME-
GENERATING ACTIVITIES.


3. CHRONIC MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN IN THE HIGHLANDS OF
PERU IS OF CRISIS PROPORTIONS. IN HUANCAVALICA, SOME 53.4

PERCENT OF CHILDREN UNDER FIVE SUFFER FROM GROWTH
RETARDATION (STUNTING). NATIONALLY, UP TO 60 PERCENT OF
PERU'S UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN LIVE IN THE ANDEAN MOUNTAINS.
IN GENERAL, OVER HALF OF RURAL PERUVIANS ARE CONSIDERED
EXTREMELY POOR, THAT IS LIVING ON LESS THAN ONE U.S. DOLLAR
(USD) PER DAY.


4. HISTORICALLY, PERU HAS BEEN A MAJOR RECIPIENT OF P.L. 480
TITLE II ASSISTANCE THROUGH U.S. AND LOCAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS). IN PAST YEARS, USD 50 MILLION HAD BEEN
COMMITTED ANNUALLY. THE LEVEL IS PRESENTLY REDUCED TO USD 20
MILLION, AND THERE IS IN PLACE A NEGOTIATED PHASE-OUT OF
TITLE II ASSISTANCE SCHEDULED BY 2008. NOTE. NO USAID P.L.
480 TITLE II IS PRESENTLY CHANNELED THROUGH WFP. USAID DOES,
HOWEVER, SUPPORT TITLE II PROGRAMS THROUGH NGOS IN
HUANCAVELICA, APURIMAC, AND AYACUCHO, AND ALSO IN OTHER
SIERRA (HIGHLAND) PROVINCES THAT EXTEND INTO THE HIGH AMAZON
REGION, WHERE POVERTY AND MALNUTRITION IS ALSO HIGH. TITLE
II AND USAID'S POVERTY REDUCTION AND ALLEVIATION (PRA)
PROJECT INPUTS ARE INCREASING RURAL ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
HOWEVER, SOCIAL SAFETY NET NEEDS, WHEN TITLE II IS PHASED
OUT, MAY OUTSTRIP THE GOP'S ABILITY TO RESPOND. END NOTE.


5. PERU'S BUDGET DEVOTES SOME USD 250 MILLION ANNUALLY TO
FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS THROUGH A VARIETY OF MINISTRIES
AND PROGRAMS. A MAJOR HURDLE IS LINKING THESE FOOD AND
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE INTERVENTIONS TO COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH,
SANITATION AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGE SERVICES. USAID, THROUGH
TITLE II PARTNERS, AND WFP, IS ASSISTING THE GOP'S NATIONAL
FOOD AID AGENCY (PRONAA) AND MUNICIPALITIES TO FOCUS FOOD
ASSISTANCE ON CRITICAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN UNDER

ROME 00001415 002 OF 003

--------------
WFP'S OPERATIONS IN-COUNTRY - (6240.0),PROMOTION OF
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF ANDEAN MICRO-WATERSHEDS; AND
(4808.0),FOOD ASSISTANCE TO PRE-SCHOOL AND PRIMARY SCHOOL
CHILDREN IN RURAL AREAS
-------------- --------------


6. AT PRESENT, WFP RUNS TWO MODEST FOOD AID INTERVENTIONS
(LISTED ABOVE). LIFE-OF-PROJECT DELIVERIES AGAINST PROJECT
6240 (MICRO-WATERSHEDS) TOTAL 16,287 METRIC TONS VALUED AT
USD 5 MILLION (ALL MULTILATERAL FUNDING); LIFE-OF-PROJECT
FUNDING AGAINST 4808 (SCHOOL FEEDING) TOTALS 18,405 MTS,
VALUED AT USD 6.48 MILLION (USDA/FAS IS THE MAJOR FUNDER).
THE MICRO-WATERSHEDS PROJECT FOCUSES ON 32 SITES IN
AYACHUCHO, APURIMAC AND HUANCAVALICA. INTERVENTIONS INCLUDE
FOOD-FOR-WORK FOR SOIL CONSERVATION AND WATER-MANAGEMENT;
SUPPORT TO MICRO-CREDIT; TRAINING ACTIVITIES FOR WOMEN; AND
IMPROVING SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE. THE SCHOOL FEEDING
INTERVENTION, IN THE GEOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENTS LISTED ABOVE
PLUS THE BORDER REGION WITH ECUADOR, TARGETS APPROXIMATELY
82,500 PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS. DEWORMING OF THE TARGET
POPULATION IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SCHOOL FEEDING
PROJECT.


7. OVERALL CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY WFP (BOTH DEVELOPMENT
AND EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE),IN THE PERIOD 1999-2003, ARE
64,605 METRIC TONS, VALUED AT USD 19.64 MILLION. CANADA IS
THE LEADING DONOR (USD 7.61 MILLION, 38.7 PERCENT),FOLLOWED
BY THE UNITED STATES (USD 5.48 MILLION, 27.9 PERCENT).

--------------
WFP FOOD AID-RELATED OBSERVATIONS
--------------


8. PRESENCE: WFP'S FIELD-LEVEL PRESENCE IS EXCEEDINGLY
LIMITED, AS FOLLOWS: HUANCAVALICA, 2 LOCAL STAFF, WORKING
OUT OF A GOP OFFICE - NO VEHICLE; AYACUCHO, 1 LOCAL STAFF,
WFP OFFICE WITH VEHICLE; APURIMAC, 1 LOCAL STAFF WITH A
MOTORCYCLE (WORKING OUT OF HOME); PIURA, 1 LOCAL STAFF WITH
A MOTORCYCLE (WORKING OUT OF HOME). THERE PRESENTLY EXIST NO
MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WITH INTERNATIONAL NON-
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS). THERE ARE, HOWEVER,
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH A MODICUM OF LOCAL NGOS AND
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. WFP'S LIMA OFFICE (WHICH INCLUDES
AN INTERNATIONAL STAFFER WHO SERVES AS COUNTRY DIRECTOR)
TOTALS 11 (INCLUDING SUPPORT STAFF),PLUS TWO CONSULTANTS.


9. WAREHOUSING: WFP RELIES ON PRONAA TO PURCHASE LOCALLY,
TRANSPORT AND STORE ITS FOOD ASSISTANCE. IN HUANCAVALICA,
THERE ARE PRONAA FACILITIES IN THE DEPARTMENTAL CAPITAL.
IMPORTED WHEAT IS SOLD COMMERCIALLY THROUGH WFP ARRANGEMENTS
WITH THE GOP, WITH PROCEEDS GOING INTO A WFP-CONTROLLED FUND
FOR LOCAL PURCHASES THROUGH PRONAA.

-------------- --------------
U.S. MISSION/ROME CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
-------------- --------------


10. AS APPROVED BY THE WFP EXECUTIVE BOARD IN OCTOBER 2003
(REF C),90 PERCENT OF WFP'S DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES WILL BE
FOCUSED BY 2007 IN 36 COUNTRIES, 29 OF WHICH WILL BE LEAST
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES (LDCS). THIS DOES NOT LEAVE THE WFP
SECRETARIAT MUCH "WIGGLE ROOM." HOWEVER, HOME-GROWN

SIPDIS
TERRORISM (SENDERO LUMINOSO - "SHINING PATH"),ALBEIT
CONSIDERABLY REDUCED, CONTINUES ITS DESTABILIZING SUBVERSIVE

ROME 00001415 003 OF 003

ACTIVITIES IN THE ANDEAN
REGION.


11. THE LONG-TERM VALUE OF EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY FOR
GIRLS, TO IMPROVED NUTRITION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS CANNOT
BE OVERSTATED. WFP AND OTHER UN AGENCIES SHOULD ACTIVELY
PURSUE ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND COMPLEMENTARY FUNDING TO
COVER NON-FOOD COSTS AND ENSURE HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION.


12. HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE MET WITH MONSIGNOR ISIDRO BARRIO
(SPANISH CITIZEN),BISHOP OF HUANCAVALICA. HUANCAVALICA HAS
AN EXTENSIVE SOCIAL OUTREACH NETWORK (CARITAS) AND IT IS
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT WFP WORK OUT AN OPERATIONAL MODUS
OPERANDI SOONEST WITH THEM. NOTE. IN A MEETING WITH MON.
JOSE RAMON MARTINEZ (FIRST SECRETARY) TO THE PAPAL NUNCIO IN
LIMA ON MARCH 31, HE WAS SUPPORTIVE OF EXPLORING CLOSER TIES
BETWEEN CARITAS AND WFP.


13. UNICEF (WITH WHOM WE ALSO MET IN LIMA ON MARCH 31) IS
STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO FOCUS ON SUPPORTING EDUCATION, PUBLIC
NUTRITION AND DISEASE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS, IN THE WFP
ANDEAN AREAS. UNICEF PERU'S PROGRAM COORDINATOR, MS.
ESPERANZA VIVES, SPOKE OF A RECENT ALLOTMENT FROM UNICEF'S
VOLUNTARY SUPPORT COMMITTEE/SPAIN, TO ASSIST PRIMARY
EDUCATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AYACUCHO.


14. THE INSTALLATION OF WFP'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM WINGS IS SEEN
AS A PRIORITY. WINGS' TRAINING TO DATE FOR WFP PERU STAFF
HAS BEEN SPOTTY.


15. WFP/UN SHOULD INTENSIFY EFFORTS TO PROMOTE INCOME-
GENERATING ACTIVITIES WHEREVER POSSIBLE. HUANCAVALICA
PRESENTS AN IDEAL WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR A JOINT FAO/WFP
UNDERTAKING RELATED TO INTENSIFICATION OF VEGETABLE
CULTIVATION FOR BOTH HOME CONSUMPTION AND COMMERCIAL SALE.
IN THIS REGARD, US MISSION WILL EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES WITH
THE ROME-BASED DANISH PERMREP (PRESENTLY SERVING AS VICE-
PRESIDENT OF THE WFP BOARD) AND THE FIRST SECRETARY OF THE
PERUVIAN EMBASSY TO THE UN AGENCIES (2004 PRESIDENT OF THE
WFP BOARD). SIMPLY, MICRO-WATERSHED AND RELATED DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS NEED SUSTAINED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN ORDER TO
ACHIEVE PROJECT OBJECTIVES.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


16. WFP'S PROGRAM IN PERU IS AT A CROSSROAD. THE NEEDS OF
THE ANDEAN GEOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENTS CONTINUE TO BE
OVERWHELMING, BUT RESOURCES ARE FEW. WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
JIM MORRIS WILL VISIT LIMA NEXT MONTH AND IS SCHEDULED TO
MEET INTER ALIA WITH PRESIDENT TOLEDO, THE UN TEAM, SEVERAL
KEY DONORS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR. REPORTEDLY, WITH
INTERNATIONAL COPPER PRICES UP, PERU IS MORE COMFORTABLE
MACRO ECONOMICALLY, AND IN THE BEST POSITION IN SOME TIME TO
INCREASE ITS SOCIAL SAFETY NET OUTLAYS. MORRIS HAS HAD GOOD
SUCCESS IN OBTAINING INCREASED PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT. FOR
EXAMPLE, TPG, THE DUTCH MULTINATIONAL, WILL PROVIDE WFP WITH
ROUGHLY USD 11 MILLION IN 2004; EACH OF THEIR 160,000
EMPLOYEES IS COMMITTED TO FEEDING A SCHOOL CHILD AND THE
COMPANY IS COMMITTED TO MATCHING THAT. US MISSION ENCOURAGES
EMBASSY AND USAID TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE JIM MORRIS ON WFP'S
FUTURE DIRECTION IN PERU. HALL

NNNN
2004ROME01415 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED