CONGO/B: Reclamma for Loss of Crucial USDA Food

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 001031

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/C
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USDA - MARY CHAMBLISS
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER AND USDA ATTACHE

FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EAID CF
SUBJECT: CONGO/B: Reclamma for Loss of Crucial USDA Food
for Education Funding

REF A: KINSHASA 00697
REF B: 04 KINSHASA 00076
REF C: Sanders-to-Chambliss 4/14/05 email


1. Post understands that recipient countries for USDA's
2005 Food for Education program have been selected and, that
Republic of Congo (ROC) is not slated to receive funding or
have its program renewed (Ref A). The Embassy would again
like to submit as a reclamma the importance of this program
for the Republic of Congo (as it did last year, Ref B). In
addition, it has come to post's attention that important key
indicators used by USDA to make funding decisions may be
based on pre-civil war data (from the late 1990s) which is
no longer accurate. The current post-conflict situation in
Congo is accurately reflected in paragraph 3. The Embassy
strongly supports this program and would like to request
that USDA reconsider ROC for the 2005 selection, or if that
is not possible, we would hope that ROC would be on the list
for any end of the year or unprogrammed funds.


2. The USDA Food for Education (FFE) Program has been
critical in addressing education issues all over the country
stemming from six years of civil conflict from 1997 to 2001.
It is one of the major bilateral assistance programs between
the U.S. and ROC. Congo/B is a post conflict country with
dire education needs. The program reaches more than 5,000
children, including at-risk groups like pygmies. In
addition, a recently jointly launched USDA-African Education
Initiative (AEI) program aimed at establishing gardening
projects in schools had anticipated working off the
synergies of FFE. Ultimately the goal is to help provide
food security that could eventually reduce or even eliminate
the need for direct food assistance programs to the target
population. The lack of FFE program not only puts at risk
the gains already made, but threatens the effectiveness of
this new USDA-AEI program.


3. Post would like to submit several updated statistics or
on-the-ground estimates to provide a more current and
accurate post-conflict picture of the need for this program
in the Republic of Congo. Current data on the program
criteria listed below are:


A. Per capita income below $2,000 - the World Bank
reported a figure of $650 in 2003.


B. Net food importer - latest UN World Food Program
data indicate that Congo/B is a net food importing country,
with food imports accounting for as much of 30 percent of
total annual imports.


C. Prevalence of undernourishment among the population
greater than 20 percent - A 2000 FAO report cites 1995-97
data that 34 percent of the population is undernourished.
It should be noted that these data predate the 1997-1999 war
period and the current post-conflict environment and
therefore one would expect that the figure is higher at the
present.


D. Free from conflict that would impede implementation
- Congo/B is a post-conflict country that has made
significant strides in the last two years, so much so that
it recently obtained an IMF Poverty Reduction Growth
Facility (PRGF). The current FFE project has not/not
suffered implementation problems and future programs would
only enhance progress and development.


E. Government support for education - The government is
very supportive of education programs and has worked very
cooperatively with the Embassy and NGO communities on
improving the condition of education in the country. There
is also a focus on education in the national strategy
planned under the PRGF.


F. Adult female literacy rate below 65 percent - The
adult literacy rate is not currently known but best post,
local NGO, and international organization estimates, cited
in the 2004 Human Rights Report, give a figure of about 40
percent for all adults. The rate for women would be
predicted to be still lower, at about 25 to 30 percent. The
sharp decline from earlier relatively high literacy rates is
due to widespread destruction of the educational system
during the 1990s civil wars.


G. Primary education completion rate below 65 percent -
World Bank's figure for 2002 is 47.2 percent. It would be
expected that the figure is probably somewhat worse than
that figure at present, even though some positive trends are
beginning to be observed in attendance and completion at the
primary school level. The FFE has played a key role in
improving this figure slightly and future FFE funding could
help continue this upward trend.

H. Rate of underweight children at least 20 percent -
though there is no national data that post could find on
this measure, the UN World Food Program has some figures
from the 1995-97 for several regions that vary from 17
percent to almost 40 percent. Post believes that the
situation has only worsened since that period and that any
national figure, if it were available, would be at a working
level of at least 20 percent.


4. Embassy Brazzaville appreciates all the support over the
last 2 years by USDA and would like to request that USDA
reconsider its decision, and renew IPHD's funding for the
Food for Education Program or consider any fallout funds.


5. Brazzaville Embassy Office - Sanders
Meece