LACK OF COMPENSATION A CONCERN FOR AI REPORTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000738 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, G/AIAG; PACOM FOR FPA; USDA FOR FAS/PECAD, FAS/CNMP, FAS/AAD, APHIS; BANGKOK FOR USAID:JMACARTHUR, APHIS:NCARDENAS, REO:JWALLER E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2017 TAGS: EAGR EAID AMED PGOV PREL CASC TBIO KFLU BM SUBJECT: LACK OF COMPENSATION A CONCERN FOR AI REPORTING RANGOON 00000738 001.10 OF 002 Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for Reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Summary. While FAO Representative Tang Zhengping is confident that farmers are reporting all cases of avian influenza to the Burmese Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, he fears that lack of compensation for affected farmers may result in notification delays. Due to a shortage of funds, the Burmese government currently follows no compensation policy; FAO and WHO representatives continue to encourage high level officials to revisit this issue. The World Bank is considering providing the Ministry of Health with a $20,000 grant to start a compensation fund. Tang also lamented the weakness of epidemiology capacity in Burma, noting that, at the request of the Australian Aid Agency, the FAO and WHO will submit to donors a joint proposal for an international consultant based in Rangoon who will provide epidemiology training over a three-year term. End Summary. To Report or Not to Report? Compensation May Be an Issue -------------- ¶2. (C) Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Representative Tang Zhengping, in an August 13 meeting, praised the Burmese Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD) for its work on avian influenza, noting that it has come a long way in a short time. LBVD continues to face challenges, particularly the lack of funding and epidemiology capacity, but Tang emphasized that LBVD's response continues to improve with each AI outbreak. LBVD continues to cooperate closely with the FAO and WHO on AI issues, and immediately reports outbreaks to the OIE. ¶3. (C) Tang told us that while he is confident that all AI outbreaks are being reported, he fears that the lack of compensation for farmers may deter some farmers from reporting poultry deaths in a timely fashion. Although the GOB should provide farmers that lost more than 500 chickens free leases, telephone connections, tube wells, subsidized electricity, and day old chicks to restock their flocks, Tang noted that the GOB only provided these benefits to the farmers in Mandalay who were affected in the first AI outbreak in 2006. Instead, the GOB has provided farmers in Rangoon, Bago and Mon States cell phones, which the farmers then "sub-lease" for additional revenues. All affected farmers, Tang added, are eligible for favorable loans (17 percent, less than half the current Burmese market rate) from the Livestock and Fisheries Development Bank. ¶4. (C) LBVD is aware of how the lack of compensation may delay reports of AI outbreaks, Tang noted, but "the problem is that high level officials do not allocate the necessary resources for compensation." The FAO and WHO are working with the World Bank on a possible project to provide the Ministry of Health and LBVD a grant of $20,000 to start a compensation fund and provide training and capacity building for AI response. The idea, Tang explained, is that the GOB, and perhaps donors, would contribute to this fund to help farmers devastated by AI outbreaks overcome economic difficulties. Although the project still needs FAO legal approval, Tang is confident that it will begin in 2008. Need for Epidemiology Training -------------- ¶5. (C) Tang also lamented the lack of epidemiology capacity in Burma, noting that, while LBVD officials attend regional workshops, what Burma really needs is a locally based RANGOON 00000738 002.2 OF 002 international consultant who can train animal health specialists. FAO and WHO, working with AusAID, is drafting a joint proposal for this position. Tang explained that FAO and WHO are revising their operational works plans to include this position, which will be for a three-year term, and plan to forward them to the GOB for comment in September. Once the GOB approves the plan, FAO and WHO will meet with donors in October to secure funding. In the meantime, FAO and WHO intend to host a joint workshop on epidemiology at the end of August to promote capacity building. Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Although Tang has recognized the GOB's limitations in responding to AI outbreaks, this is the first time that he has outwardly criticized the GOB's compensation program. Tang is right to be concerned -- chicken farmers in Burma rely heavily on their stock for their livelihood. A cell phone does not provide farmers with the economic wherewithal to replenish their stocks. If AI, which to date has only occurred in accessible places in Burma, moves to the border regions or conflict zones, we have less confidence in the local LBVD authorities's ability to obtain information about an outbreak. A workable compensation plan will be essential to encourage timely reporting. VILLAROSA