UGANDA: FOOD SECURITY INTIATIVE AND CAADP COMPACT UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KAMPALA 001247

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR USAID/EA (TWAY, KADAMS)
DEPT FOR USAID/AFR/SD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID EAGR UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA: FOOD SECURITY INTIATIVE AND CAADP COMPACT UPDATE


1. Summary: The Ugandan Minister of Agriculture met with
Development
Partners to discuss plans to sign a Comprehensive African
Development
Plan (CAADP) Compact that had been scheduled for October 29, 2009.
She
agreed to postpone the signing ceremony of the Compact until it is
linked with the Ministry of AgricultureQs Development Strategy and
Investment Plan (DSIP). Both the Government of Uganda (GOU) and
development partners are committed to making Uganda the first
country
in Africa to link its CAADP Compact with an agreed-upon DSIP,
ensuring
donor support and commitment from the beginning. End Summary.

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Getting It Right, From the Start
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2. Uganda is on track for a signed CAADP Compact that is integrated

with the Ministry of AgricultureQs donor-approved DSIP. The
decision
to pursue these two goals in tandem and tie them together will make

for a much stronger Compact. It will also put Uganda in position to

begin rapid implementation of a tangible, results-based, Ugandan-led

strategy with assured strong support from development partners, the

private sector, and civil society.


3. The Compact will allow all stakeholders involved in the
agriculture sector to mutually pledge their support to a Ugandan-led

agriculture development strategy designed to achieve a six percent
rate of growth in the agriculture sector around four pillars:
developing sustainable land and water management; improving rural
infrastructure and trade capacity for market access; increasing the

supply of food and reducing hunger; and improving agriculture
research, technology, dissemination and adoption.

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Seeking Common Ground
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4. On October 13, Ugandan Minister of Agriculture Hope Mwesigye and

key development partners discussed the status of the Compact and the

DSIP. The Development Partners present were the European Union, the

World Bank, USAID, the Royal Danish Embassy, the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization, and the African Development Bank. During

this meeting, all stakeholders present agreed that the original date

to sign the Compact, October 29, 2009, should be delayed until the
Compact and the DSIP are more strongly integrated.


5. Stakeholders also agreed that signing a CAADP Compact along with

an approved Ministry of Agriculture DSIP would make for stronger,
more
tangible commitments between all parties. Several countries in
Africa
have been quick to sign Compacts, but few if any countries have
linked
their Compacts with results-based, donor-supported DSIPs.

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The Way Forward
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6. UgandaQs DSIP is nearly complete, but several substantive issues

remain unresolved. These include the need to reform the
organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture; more
clearly
defining the roles of the public and private sector; and
prioritizing
activities that can be undertaken pending different funding levels.

Stakeholders agreed on a number of actions to complete the Compact

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and
DSIP integration process. The Danish Embassy will provide
consultants
to analyze and present recommendations on the most appropriate and
effective institutional structure to implement the DSIP. A GOU
technical team will draft a matrix to better describe the roles and

responsibilities of constituent stakeholders, including public and
private sector, in the DSIP. Finally, more extensive consultations

will be held with the private sector, civil society and farmer
groups
to ensure mutual understanding of their commitments and
responsibilities under the Compact and the DSIP.

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Comment: Country-Led, Donor-Supported Plans Not Made Overnight
-------------- --------------


7. The Minister and her technical team initially did not want to
postpone the CAADP Compact signing ceremony, but they recognized the

interest of donor partners to have the Compact and DSIP fully
integrated to avoid having a subsequently developed DSIP languishing

for months in donor capitals pending approval. Donors did not want
to
stand in the way of this UgandaQled process, which has been ongoing

for almost two years, and were very specific about what they felt
were
the critical pieces necessary for donors to provide agreement and
support. Both sides are committed to finalizing this process in the

weeks ahead. If the Uganda CAADP Compact and DSIP are signed at the

same time, Uganda will be assured of a solid donor partnership with

resources ready to move forward.

LANIER