WELLINGTON RESPONSE TO GLOBAL ACTION ON FOOD SECURITY

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000207 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/ANP EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT JSPECK GCLEMENTS DMORTON USDA FOR FAS/OCRA/OAO/EMANGINO USDA/FAS/OFSO/AO/KWAINIO G8 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID PREL NZ SUBJECT: WELLINGTON RESPONSE TO GLOBAL ACTION ON FOOD SECURITY DEMARCHE REF: STATE 58996 ¶1. (U) Summary: In response to reftel, FAS Officer delivered demarche on 12 June to Peter Zwart at NZAID-SAEG (NZ Aid Agency). On 4 July 9, 2009, Mr. Zwart responded that New Zealand (GNZ) is very supportive of the increased international focus being given to food security issues and agricultural development currently and certainly welcoming of U.S. plans for increased attention and support to this area as outlined in the Five Principles for Global Action on Food Security. GNZ believes food security is an issue that will continue to grow in importance and are concerned at the compounding impacts of last year's food and fuel price crises, and the current global economic crisis effect on poverty, hunger and malnutrition. End Summary. Points made by U.S. that NZ would strongly endorse -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) The emphasis on donor coordination around country - led processes. GNZ believes this is critical to long term sustainable progress and is where NZAID (GNZ aid agency) is putting much of its efforts where it is engaged in agriculture in the Pacific region. ¶3. (U) GNZ endorse the reference to the need for a "Reformed FAO" as it is very concerned that current global food security challenges are sometimes used to distract attention from the critical need to dramatically improve the performance of the FAO given its critical role in this area. ¶4. (U) GNZ would agree with the call for greater priority to be given to agriculture both by governments in developing countries, and by donors. ¶5. (U) GNZ also supports the explicit mention of gender in agriculture in a document such as this. Areas where GNZ believes the policy could be strengthened -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) Policy does not currently discuss problems associated with trade protection for agriculture which have long played a role in undermining the environment for agriculture in developing countries. ¶7. (U) GNZ would like to see greater attention given to the role of social protection as part of the package of responses to food insecurity. Given that the current crisis remains strongly one of people's purchasing power and ability to access food, rather than overall food availability, addressing this will require specific targeted attention to social protection for the most vulnerable. ¶8. (U) The document is perhaps a little uncritical of the effectiveness of multilateral agencies in this area and while they do have a role to play, GNZ's experience is that they do not always strengthen the role of governments in leading the response. 9 (U) GNZ feels the bullet point on policy issues for food insecure countries could be considerably expanded given that the domestic policy environment is also a critical dimension to the success of other more direct means to support agriculture. ¶10. (U) While supportive of all the U.S. points listed in item 3 (see para. 6 of reftel),GNZ feels these are not as comprehensive as they could be. New Zealand is very supportive of the UN High Level Task Force's Comprehensive Framework for Action (CFA). GNZ finds this document to set out a broad international agenda for food security and agriculture which is able to be applied and adapted at regional and national levels. We would like to see the CFA emphasized as much as possible so that it can guide a coherent and full action agenda at lower levels. Is it possible for the U.S. to reference in the CFA Framework, perhaps emphasizing different aspects behind which the U.S. will particularly put its emphasis/energy. ¶11. (U) GNZ wonders whether there could also be commentary around the global governance and architecture for food security and agriculture. This is currently evolving quite rapidly and GNZ is keen to see a more coherent, rationale, and effective approach than has been the case in the past. KEEGAN