Cablegate: Nigeria: Proposed Global Partnership for Agriculture And

VZCZCXRO1470
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #2327 3331133
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 281133Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4560
INFO RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0341
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC

UNCLAS ABUJA 002327

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR STATE/EEB MIKAEL LURIE AND JANET SPECK
USAID FOR BILL HAMMINK
USDA/FAS FOR KIRK MILLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR TBIO EAID PGOV NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: PROPOSED GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE AND
FOOD (GPAF)

REF: STATE 123480

1. Summary: Per reftel instructions, on November 25 the Mission
conveyed to the Government of Nigeria (GON) talking points developed
by the G-8 Experts Group on Global Food Security. The USG team
consulted with senior representatives from the Nigerian National
Food Reserve Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, French Embassy, the
World Bank, and the U.K. Department for International Development
(DFID) about the Global Partnership on Agriculture and Food (GPAF).
The concept of the GPAF was received well, the G-8 reengagement on
agriculture was lauded and the approach, to breaking the cycle of
famine by investing in agriculture was fully supported. The
representatives agreed that the GPAF would be an excellent means for
high level leadership to continue to focus policy attention on food
security, both for humanitarian assistance in other regions and the
renewed development of agriculture in West Africa. End Summary.

2. (SBU) It was recommended that any high level policy group include
stakeholders, particularly from national organizations and not just
international NGOs. University to university and government to
government relations should be encouraged, but primarily at the
national level. The model for government and donor engagement needs
to be coordinated at the national level to feed into the
international level. In Nigeria, the GON, the World Bank, DFID and
USAID are engaged in a multi year Country Partnership Strategy that
sets priorities for actions, investments, results expected, and
identifies donor roles. This process maximizes coordination and
supports the Paris Declaration. Similar country level coordination
can be reinforced at the international level.

3. (SBU) The participants endorsed the continued focus on the
African Union/New Partnership for Africa's Development led
Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). The
CAADP process provides a framework to promote improvements in the
enabling environment for commercial investment in agriculture and
trade, while maintaining a focus on equitable, broad-based growth
and sustainable development.

4. (SBU) All agreed that monitoring and measuring progress and
results, and ensuring accountability and performance of programs was
important. However, concerns were raised about the timeframe needed
to transform agriculture in the region and that this was not likely
to happen within a few years.

5. (SBU) It was agreed that the government and donors will follow up
with detailed discussions about how to collaborate and coordinate
implementation of the Global Food Security Response. The USG Team
will explore using the current Food Security Working Group, which is
working at a policy and general coordination level or continuing the
coordination from this initial meeting for detailed programming
between the GON, World Bank, France, and other interested donors.

6. (SBU) The participants look forward to hearing more from the
addressees about the regional reaction to the GPAF to see what the
next steps are.

7. (U) This message was coordinated with ConGen Lagos.

SANDERS

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