GHANA PROMISES SUPPORT FOR USG GLOBAL HUNGER AND FOOD

UNCLAS ACCRA 001162 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT: ANN RYAN, MARISSA PLOWDEN; IO: ROBERT HAGEN, JOHN TUMINARO; AF: MARY JOHNSON PASS TO MCC FOR KRISTEN PENN; PASS TO USDA FOR RAJIV SHAH E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: ECON EAGR EAID KMCA GH SUBJECT: GHANA PROMISES SUPPORT FOR USG GLOBAL HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY INITIATIVE REF: A) SECSTATE 107298 B) ACCRA 00592 ¶1. SUMMARY: On October 30, Econoff, USAID and MCC representatives delivered REFTEL A demarche to Government of Ghana (GOG) Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) officials, including the Deputy Minister for Fisheries, and the Chief Technical Advisor to the Minister of Food and Agriculture. GOG officials were positive toward the USG initiative and promised to support USG leadership on food security at the November 16-18 World Food Summit in Rome, including the articulation of the G8 L'Aquila Summit five points in the conference declaration. Years of sustained engagement with USAID and MCC on agricultural sector development has placed Ghana well along the path to accomplishing the Secretary of State's new initiative to address global hunger and food security. END SUMMARY. ¶2. In advance of the demarche delivery, USAID provided a package of documents noted in REFTEL A (including a copy of the "Partnering for Food Security: Moving Forward" document) to USAID's embedded Chief Technical Advisor in MOFA, Dr. Sam Dapaah. A prior MOFA Chief Director, Dr. Dapaah has proven to be a critical asset for USAID and MCC in engaging the GOG. ¶3. During the demarche, the GOG officials expressed gratitude for USG support on agricultural sector programs through USAID, MCC and the Peace Corps. Citing the history of U.S.-Ghanaian partnership on agriculture sector development since the time of President Kennedy, the Deputy Minister promised Ghana's support for USG leadership on food security during the Rome Summit. They noted that if they had any questions following their review of the USG food security strategy documents provided, they would raise the questions with USG representatives privately, and not in an open forum. SIGNIFICANT USG SUPPORT FOR AGRICULTURE IN GHANA -------------- --- ¶4. USAID and MCC have provided significant funding for development of Ghana's agriculture sector. Program goals include farmer training, increased access to credit, improved infrastructure, increased productivity, greater market access and competitiveness, and enhanced capacity and institution building. Prior to the FY 2009 Food Security Supplement, received in December 2008, USAID's agriculture support for Ghana was approximately USD 8 million per year. Under the 2009 Global Food Security Response Program (GFSR), to be implemented by USAID in FY 2010, the funding for agricultural programs in Ghana increased by USD 25 million -- for a total of USD 33 million projected for agriculture sector programs in FY 2010. MCC granted its local implementing agency (MiDA) USD 227 million in support of agriculture and infrastructure projects for a 5-year period (2007-2012). ¶5. Ongoing and prospective USG agriculture-focused activities in Ghana fully support the Secretary's vision (REFTEL A),which is also consistent with the objectives of Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the GOG's corresponding agriculture strategy: Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy (FASDEP). (To be reported SEPTEL.) COMMENT -------------- ¶6. Politically, the new emphasis by the USG (and other development partners) on food security corresponds with a domestic prioritization of agriculture sector development (REFTEL B). Ghana's NDC government was elected on a platform of renewed emphasis on rural growth through agriculture sector investment. Thus, USG and multilateral efforts in support of agriculture sector development will be met with enthusiasm from Ghana's current political leadership. The medium term challenge will be transforming the political leadership's positive rhetoric into increased ground-level administrative performance. TEITELBAUM