MALAWI: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON GLOBAL ACTION ON

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000378 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID PREL MI SUBJECT: MALAWI: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON GLOBAL ACTION ON FOOD SECURITY REF: STATE 58996 ¶1. Emboff delivered reftel demarche to Erica Maganga, Deputy Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture. Maganga noted that support for agricultural development and food security has been a top priority for the GOM over the past five years. In 2008/09, the GOM devoted 13.5 percent of its entire budget to the agricultural sector with most funding going to fertilizer and seed support for small farmers. Maganga added that agricultural research and extension was another priority for the Ministry. ¶2. Maganga discussed the GOM's Greenbelt initiative, which aims to introduce irrigated agriculture in a band along Lake Malawi and the Shire River. If fully developed the Greenbelt project will constitute a major investment in agricultural infrastructure. Maganga said donor assistance has already been pledged, including USD 20 million from the African Development Bank. ¶3. On the issue of stakeholder coordination, Maganga noted that the GOM is instituting a Sector Wide Approach (SWAP) to coordinate development and assistance in the agricultural sector. A multi-year Agricultural Development Program (ADP) support program is being funded by the World Bank to provide capacity building for the SWAP. Currently, donor assistance in the sector is coordinated through the World Bank-chaired Donor Coordination for Agricultural and Food Security (DCAFS) group. BODDE