VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAR #1162 3101103
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061103Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8436

UNCLAS ACCRA 001162 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT: ANN RYAN, MARISSA PLOWDEN; IO: ROBERT 
HAGEN, JOHN TUMINARO; AF: MARY JOHNSON 
PASS TO MCC FOR KRISTEN PENN; PASS TO USDA FOR RAJIV SHAH 
 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGR EAID KMCA GH
SUBJECT: GHANA PROMISES SUPPORT FOR USG GLOBAL HUNGER AND FOOD 
SECURITY INITIATIVE 
 
REF: A) SECSTATE 107298  B) ACCRA 00592 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  On October 30, Econoff, USAID and MCC representatives 
delivered REFTEL A demarche to Government of Ghana (GOG) Ministry of 
Food and Agriculture (MOFA) officials, including the Deputy Minister 
for Fisheries, and the Chief Technical Advisor to the Minister of 
Food and Agriculture.  GOG officials were positive toward the USG 
initiative and promised to support USG leadership on food security 
at the November 16-18 World Food Summit in Rome,  including the 
articulation of the G8 L'Aquila Summit five points in the conference 
declaration.  Years of sustained engagement with USAID and MCC on 
agricultural sector development has placed Ghana well along the path 
to accomplishing the Secretary of State's new initiative to address 
global hunger and food security.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. In advance of the demarche delivery, USAID provided a package of 
documents noted in REFTEL A (including a copy of the "Partnering for 
Food Security: Moving Forward" document) to USAID's embedded Chief 
Technical Advisor in MOFA, Dr. Sam Dapaah.  A prior MOFA Chief 
Director, Dr. Dapaah has proven to be a critical asset for USAID and 
MCC in engaging the GOG. 
 
¶3. During the demarche, the GOG officials expressed gratitude for 
USG support on agricultural sector programs through USAID, MCC and 
the Peace Corps.  Citing the history of U.S.-Ghanaian partnership on 
agriculture sector development since the time of President Kennedy, 
the Deputy Minister promised Ghana's support for USG leadership on 
food security during the Rome Summit.  They noted that if they had 
any questions following their review of the USG food security 
strategy documents provided, they would raise the questions with USG 
representatives privately, and not in an open forum. 
 
SIGNIFICANT USG SUPPORT FOR AGRICULTURE IN GHANA 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶4. USAID and MCC have provided significant funding for development 
of Ghana's agriculture sector.  Program goals include farmer 
training, increased access to credit, improved infrastructure, 
increased productivity, greater market access and competitiveness, 
and enhanced capacity and institution building.  Prior to the FY 
2009 Food Security Supplement, received in December 2008, USAID's 
agriculture support for Ghana was approximately USD 8 million per 
year.  Under the 2009 Global Food Security Response Program (GFSR), 
to be implemented by USAID in FY 2010, the funding for agricultural 
programs in Ghana increased by USD 25 million -- for a total of USD 
33 million projected for agriculture sector programs in FY 2010. 
MCC granted its local implementing agency (MiDA) USD 227 million in 
support of agriculture and infrastructure projects for a 5-year 
period (2007-2012). 
 
¶5. Ongoing and prospective USG agriculture-focused activities in 
Ghana fully support the Secretary's vision (REFTEL A), which is also 
consistent with the objectives of Comprehensive Africa Agriculture 
Development Programme (CAADP) and the GOG's corresponding 
agriculture strategy: Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy 
(FASDEP). (To be reported SEPTEL.) 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶6. Politically, the new emphasis by the USG (and other development 
partners) on food security corresponds with a domestic 
prioritization of agriculture sector development (REFTEL B). 
Ghana's NDC government was elected on a platform of renewed emphasis 
on rural growth through agriculture sector investment.  Thus, USG 
and multilateral efforts in support of agriculture sector 
development will be met with enthusiasm from Ghana's current 
political leadership.  The medium term challenge will be 
transforming the political leadership's positive rhetoric into 
increased ground-level administrative performance. 
 
TEITELBAUM