FFP: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE LATIN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000055 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AID/W, PASS COPY TO LAUREN LANDIS, DIRECTOR, DCHA/FFP, FREDERICK R. VIGIL, DCHA/FFP/DP, P.E. BALAKRISHNAN, DCHA/FFP/DP, KATHY HUNT, DCHA/FFP/DP, LISA WITTE, DCHA/FFP/POD PORT-AU-PRINCE FOR USAID, MAIRE C. LAURENT, FOOD FOR PEACE, JAN WESSEL, FOOD FOR PEACE MANAGUA FOR USAID, ENRIQUE URBINA, ERD, STEVE OLIVE, ERD GUATEMALA FOR USAID, JULIA ASTURIAS, ENR, DAVID HULL, FOOD FOR PEACE LIMA FOR USAID, JOHN IRONS, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ALFREDO GUTIERREZ, ECONOMIC GROWTH LA PAZ FOR USAID, WALTER SHEPHERD, FOOD FOR PEACE, ANGEL VASQUEZ, FOOD FOR PEACE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA HO SUBJECT: FFP: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN REGIONAL FOOD AID MANAGERS CONFERENCE HELD IN LA ESPERANZA, HONDURAS ON NOVEMBER 17-19, 2003 ¶1. SUMMARY THE HONDURAS OFFICE OF FOOD FOR PEACE (FFP) HOSTED A REGIONAL FOOD AID MANAGERS' WORKSHOP IN LA ESPERANZA, HONDURAS, ON NOVEMBER 17 THROUGH NOVEMBER 19, 2003. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORKSHOP WERE THE PRESENTATIONS BY THE FFP DIRECTOR, LAUREN LANDIS AND OTHER FFP/W STAFF, ON NEW FFP POLICIES AND DIRECTIONS AS WELL AS THE DISCUSSIONS AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE THAT TOOK PLACE AMONG PARTICIPATING REGIONAL FFP OFFICERS. THE WORKSHOP PRODUCED AN EXCHANGE OF RECOMMENDATIONS BETWEEN THE FIELD AND FFP/W PROGRAM AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES. END SUMMARY. ¶2. BACKGROUND FFP DIRECTOR LAUREN LANDIS DISCUSSED FFP'S NEW VISION ON FOOD AID PROGRAMMING, AND FFP'S MANAGEMENT STREAMLINING EFFORTS. IN ADDITION TO AVAILABILITY, ACCESS, AND UTILIZATION, A NEW CRITERION, "THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO COPE WITH STRESS, SHOCKS AND RISKS", HAS BEEN ADDED AS TO HOW DCHA/FFP VIEWS FOOD SECURITY. FOOD AID CAN NOW BE USED TO IMPROVE HOUSEHOLDS' ABILITY TO COPE WITH SHOCKS AND RISKS. THE NEW CONCEPT OF INTEGRATING RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT FOOD AID INTO MISSION STRATEGIES SUGGESTS A MAINSTREAMING OF FOOD AID INTO BILATERAL USAID PROGRAMS IN THE FIELD. THE STREAMLINING IS INTENDED TO IMPROVE MANAGERIAL EFFICIENCY INCLUDING FFP STAFFING AND TIMELY UPDATES OF GUIDANCE AND REGULATIONS. LAUREN LANDIS, FFP DIRECTOR AND AID/W/FFP STAFF PRESENTED TECHNICAL WORKING SESSIONS DEALING WITH THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF FOOD AID MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING RECENTLY ISSUED GUIDELINES, REGULATIONS, MONETIZATION, COMMODITY MANAGEMENT, SECTION 202(E) AND INTERNAL TRANSPORT, STORAGE AND HANDLING (ITSH) GUIDELINES, ETC. INDIVIDUAL COUNTRY FFP OFFICERS GAVE PRESENTATIONS ON CURRENT TITLE II PROGRAMS IN THE FIELD. THE GROUP DISCUSSED HOW TO INTEGRATE NEW FOOD AID THINKING INTO ONGOING PROGRAMS IN THE FIELD. THE INFORMATION SHARING AND PROBLEM SOLVING DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS AND PRESENTERS WERE EXTREMELY USEFUL AND SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED THE VALUE OF THE WORKSHOP. ¶3. RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION ITEMS A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS WAS DEVELOPED BASED ON IDEAS AND SUGGETIONS COMING OUT OF THE CONFERENCE. THESE ARE: ¶A. DCHA/FFP SHOULD CREATE A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR ITS STAFF. FOR THIS PURPOSE, FFP SHOULD IMPROVE, CONSOLIDATE AND FORMALIZE A COMPREHENSIVE FFP OFFICER TRAINING PACKAGE. THE FOLLOWING COURSES WERE SUGGESTED FOR ALL FFP FIELD STAFF (PARTICULARLY NEW STAFF): FOOD AID REQUEST ENTRY SYSTEM (FARES) COGNIZANT TECHNICAL OFFICER CERTIFICATION AUTOMATED DIRECTIVES SYSTEM (ADS) DAP MANAGEMENT DAP TRACKING SYSTEM PLANNING, ACHIEVING, LEARNING (PAL) ECONOMIC GROWTH INTRANET TRAINING (INTERIM MEASURE) INTERNSHIP OR FIELD/WASHINGTON EXCHANGE PROGRAM ¶B. MISSIONS SHOULD MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MONITOR WFP PROGRAMS AND INFORM FFP/W OF PROBLEMS OR SUCCESSES (ESPECIALLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS). GRAMS). ¶C. THE IMPACT OF MONETIZATION ON FOOD SECURITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO BE BETTER QUANTIFIED ON A WORLD-WIDE BASIS. A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS ON THE IMPACT OF MONETIZATION ON A PARTICULAR TITLE II PROGRAM SHOULD BE REQUIRED IN THE COOPERATING SPONSOR RESULT REPORT AND RESOURCE REQUEST (CSR4) REPORTING PROCESS. ¶D. DCHA/FFP SHOULD PRESENT THE NEWLY AWARDED INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING (ICB) PROGRAMS TO FIELD MISSIONS AND PUT A SUMMARY OF THE ICB PROGRAMS ON THE USAID INTRANET. ¶E. FFP SHOULD CONSIDER HOW BEST TO ADDRESS VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WITH TITLE II PROGRAMMING, PARTICULARLY HIV/AIDS AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE OR NEGLECT, AND THE URBAN POOR. ¶F. FFP/W AND FIELD STAFF SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE KANSAS CITY COMMODITY OFFICE FOOD AID CONFERENCE IN APRIL. ¶G. MISSIONS' RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MANAGING FOOD AID PROGRAMS SHOULD BE INCORPORATED IN THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL; FFP/W EXPECTATIONS OF MISSIONS' ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT) SHOULD BE CLEARLY STATED IN THE ANNUAL CRITERIA CABLE SENT BY FFP/W TO THE FIELD. ¶H. FOR THE NEWLY CREATED DAP TRACKING SYSTEM, INCLUDE THE MISSION SUPPORT CABLE NUMBER IN THE DAP TRACKING SYSTEM; AND INCLUDE SPACE FOR FIELD COMMENTS IN DAP TRACKING SYSTEM. THE MISSION LEVEL TRACKING SYSTEMS SHOULD BE REVIEWED AS FFP DEVELOPS NEW TRACKING SYSTEMS TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND LACK OF DUPLICATION OF EXISTING SYSTEMS. ¶I. WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF POLICY AND PROGRAM COORDINATION TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE LIFE OF ACTIVITY (LOA) AND FISCAL YEAR FINANCIAL REPORTING EXPECTATIONS. ¶J. EXPLORE WAYS FOR THE MISSIONS TO MORE FULLY REPORT ON TITLE II PROGRAMS AS REPORTING THROUGH ONLY ONE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE MAY NOT ADEQUATELY REFLECT THE IMPACT OF THE TOTAL PROGRAM. E.G. INTEGRATED FOOD SECURITY APPROACH COVERING HEALTH, EDUCATION AND AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION. ¶K. ESTABLISH A VIABLE NETWORK (TEAM) MECHANISM AT THE MISSION LEVEL FOR COORDINATING THE FAMINE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM (FEWS) PROGRAM. ¶M. HOLD SUCH REGIONAL FOOD AID MANAGEMENT CONFERENCES AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR IN THE FIELD. HONDURAS/FFP IS INCORPORATING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT PERTAIN TO THE REGIONAL WORKSHOP INTO ITS FY04 ACTIVITIES. HONDURAS/FFP THANKS AID/WASHINGTON STAFF, THE REGIONAL FFP OFFICERS WHO PARTICIPATED, AND THE MISSIONS THAT SENT THEM, FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND ENTHUSIASM TO FURTHERING THE WORK OF FOOD FOR PEACE IN THE FIELD. THANKS TO THE FFP DIRECTOR LAUREN LANDIS FOR HER PARTICIPATION AND FOR BRINGING FFP/W'S "NEW" PROGRAM MANAGEMENT CONCEPT TO THE FIELD. PALMER