Supporting Wheat Seed Distribution in Afghanistan

UNCLAS KABUL 001120 DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A DEPT PASS FOR AID/ANE DEPT PASS USTR FOR DELANEY AND DEANGELIS DEPT PASS OPIC DEPT PASS FOR TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP USOECD FOR ENERGY ATTACHE CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A NSC FOR JWOOD TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, AWELLER, AND MNUGENT COMMERCE FOR HAMROCK-MANN, DEES, CHOPPIN, AND FONOVICH SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958 N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR AF SUBJECT: Supporting Wheat Seed Distribution in Afghanistan REF: A) Kabul 1108 B) Engle-Ensher email of 5/1/09 ¶1. (U) This is an urgent action request. ¶2. (SBU) As reported Ref A, Afghan Agriculture Minister Rahimi has requested $32.4 million from donors to fund urgent procurement of wheat seeds and distribution in time for fall planting. The Mission is aware of two USG programs that would be supportive of the Minister's request. We recommend that Washington agencies take the steps necessary to announce progress on both as a deliverable for the May 6-7 US-Af-Pak Trilateral Summit in Washington, which Rahimi will attend. ¶3. (SBU) First, we understand USDA may be prepared to allocate an additional $9 million under the Food for Progress (FFP) program for vegetable oil for Afghanistan. Under this plan, the Ministry of Agriculture would reprogram for wheat seeds $9 million of FFP funds already on account at the Ministry and allocated for agriculture projects, and use the funds generated from sale of the new veg oil to replenish this account. Second, USAID has proposed a $50 million extension of the Afghanistan Vouchers for Increased Production in Agriculture (AVIPA) program, and approval is pending in Washington. The first phase of this successful program distributed vouchers enabling reduced-price acquisition of seed and fertilizer by 247,000 beneficiaries in 14 provinces. ¶4. (U) The Mission urges Washington agencies to approve these requests in time for the Trilateral Summit. RICCIARDONE