NIGERIA: PROPOSED GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE AND

UNCLAS ABUJA 002327 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR STATE/EEB MIKAEL LURIE AND JANET SPECK USAID FOR BILL HAMMINK USDA/FAS FOR KIRK MILLER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR TBIO EAID PGOV NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: PROPOSED GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD (GPAF) REF: STATE 123480 ¶1. Summary: Per reftel instructions, on November 25 the Mission conveyed to the Government of Nigeria (GON) talking points developed by the G-8 Experts Group on Global Food Security. The USG team consulted with senior representatives from the Nigerian National Food Reserve Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, French Embassy, the World Bank, and the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) about the Global Partnership on Agriculture and Food (GPAF). The concept of the GPAF was received well, the G-8 reengagement on agriculture was lauded and the approach, to breaking the cycle of famine by investing in agriculture was fully supported. The representatives agreed that the GPAF would be an excellent means for high level leadership to continue to focus policy attention on food security, both for humanitarian assistance in other regions and the renewed development of agriculture in West Africa. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) It was recommended that any high level policy group include stakeholders, particularly from national organizations and not just international NGOs. University to university and government to government relations should be encouraged, but primarily at the national level. The model for government and donor engagement needs to be coordinated at the national level to feed into the international level. In Nigeria, the GON, the World Bank, DFID and USAID are engaged in a multi year Country Partnership Strategy that sets priorities for actions, investments, results expected, and identifies donor roles. This process maximizes coordination and supports the Paris Declaration. Similar country level coordination can be reinforced at the international level. ¶3. (SBU) The participants endorsed the continued focus on the African Union/New Partnership for Africa's Development led Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). The CAADP process provides a framework to promote improvements in the enabling environment for commercial investment in agriculture and trade, while maintaining a focus on equitable, broad-based growth and sustainable development. ¶4. (SBU) All agreed that monitoring and measuring progress and results, and ensuring accountability and performance of programs was important. However, concerns were raised about the timeframe needed to transform agriculture in the region and that this was not likely to happen within a few years. ¶5. (SBU) It was agreed that the government and donors will follow up with detailed discussions about how to collaborate and coordinate implementation of the Global Food Security Response. The USG Team will explore using the current Food Security Working Group, which is working at a policy and general coordination level or continuing the coordination from this initial meeting for detailed programming between the GON, World Bank, France, and other interested donors. ¶6. (SBU) The participants look forward to hearing more from the addressees about the regional reaction to the GPAF to see what the next steps are. ¶7. (U) This message was coordinated with ConGen Lagos. SANDERS