BENIN: PARTNERING FOR GLOBAL HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY

UNCLAS COTONOU 000512 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT ANN RYAN AND MARISA PLOWDEN OFFICE OF THE COUNSELOR, IO ROBERT HAGEN, JOHN TUMINARO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID ETRD BN SUBJECT: BENIN: PARTNERING FOR GLOBAL HUNGER AND FOOD SECURITY ACTION REQUEST REF: STATE 107298 ¶1. Poloff delivered points reftel to Ambassador Adoumasse, Director for International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said that the GOB supported the proposal. He will be attending the meeting in Rome with the Minister of Agriculture and two directors from that ministry. The GOB will use this opportunity to ask the international community for help. Adoumasse noted that the problem of food security is cyclical in Benin. Cotton is the cash crop and when the price for cotton is high, farmers buy food. However when the price for cotton drops, they are unable to purchase food. Growing food crops along with cotton would be a start to food security for farmers in the north of Benin. ¶2. The GOB would like to intensify agriculture by mechanizing the process, irrigating the fields and receiving FAO technical support. Expanding on the subject of irrigation, Adoumasse noted that current farming practice consisted of farmers sowing and then waiting for rain. He said that the current "short rainy season" had not brought enough water. The "long rainy season" had caused flooding. Benin has no program to manage flood waters and is subject to crop loss about half the time. KNIGHT