VZCZCXRO2548
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1264/01 3121533
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081533Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4708
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001264 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
UN ROME FOR HSPANOS 
NEW YORK FOR DMERCADO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI SMIG UN SU
SUBJECT: USAID/OFDA Darfur Agriculture and Food Security Assessment 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 1156 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  The 2009 harvest outlook in Darfur is mixed. 
Reports from most of West Darfur indicated reliable rains, while 
parts of South and North Darfur did not.  In addition to general 
agricultural development challenges, lack of humanitarian access and 
insecurity continue to render rural agriculture and pastoralist 
programming difficult.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------------- 
DARFUR:  AGRICULTURE OVERVIEW 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) From October 3 to 14, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign 
Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) field team, including the 
agriculture and food security advisor, visited program sites in 
internally displaced person (IDP) camps, host communities, and rural 
areas in North, West, and South Darfur to observe program 
implementation and sector trends. 
 
¶3.  (U) In all visited areas of Darfur, farmers and USAID/OFDA 
partners indicated improved access to land in 2009 compared to 2008. 
 None of the farmers the agriculture and food security advisor spoke 
with indicated that lack of inputs such as seed had prevented them 
from planting during the current season.  Some farmers did, however, 
indicate that the dry spell in the middle of the rainy season had 
caused seed failure.  Most farmers indicated that preferred seed 
varieties were available in local markets but that access to the 
markets remained problematic.  The harvest season begins in the 
coming weeks and a post-harvest assessment by the Ministry of 
Agriculture in conjunction with partners will offer a better 
indication of how successful cultivation has been. 
 
¶4.  (U) UN agency reports indicated that West Darfur will likely 
report a successful harvest, having received timely and sufficient 
rains.  In both North and South Darfur, the trend is less clear.  In 
parts of South Darfur, rains were generally adequate but some areas 
experienced a two week gap during a critical phase of crop 
production.  UN agencies in North Darfur are already expressing 
concern due to the limited water resources for both animals and 
agriculture.  Poor rains in North Darfur have also substantially 
affected pastoralists.  In Dar al Salam town in North Darfur, 
residents reported that animals arrived far earlier than normal at 
local water points, indicating a lack of available water along 
normal routes. 
 
-------------------------------- 
LAND USE TREND TOWARD CASH CROPS 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) There is an increasing trend of planting cash crops such as 
groundnuts instead of traditional Darfur food crops such as sorghum 
and millet.  In some cases, distribution of cash crop seeds may have 
supported this trend.  Agriculture partners in South Darfur 
indicated that some farmers planted an increased land area with 
groundnuts.  Although cash crops offer the potential for income 
generation, promoting food security and reducing food assistance 
remain priorities in Darfur.  Given weak market linkages for some 
cash crops, households may face challenges ensuring food security if 
they choose to concentrate entirely on cash crops. 
 
¶6.  (U) Large camp populations have intensified the demand for 
resources in small areas and increased pressure on the environment, 
in some cases, hastening environmental degradation.  Mitigation of 
the conflict's negative effects on the environment should be 
addressed as early as possible, rather than when displaced people 
begin to return.  Even seemingly non-controversial environmental 
programming must be considered in the complex social and political 
environment of Darfur.  For example, humanitarian agencies should 
avoid provision of trees to IDPs or returnees in cases where this 
activity would exacerbate already complicated land tenure issues and 
potentially lead to additional conflict.  Solutions to land tenure 
issues to allow tree planting will be essential to mitigate 
widespread deforestation in areas surrounding camps, where camp 
residents have used trees for brick making, firewood, and shelter 
construction. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
CHALLENGE: PROGRAMMING FOR PASTORALISTS 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U) While the mobile nature of the nomads' livelihoods presents 
a programming challenge, lack of security for humanitarian workers 
 
KHARTOUM 00001264  002 OF 002 
 
 
in the areas where nomads migrate presents an even greater hurdle 
for assistance provision.  In order to provide effective assistance, 
further discussion between the Government of National Unity (GNU), 
humanitarian community, and pastoralist committees of Darfur could 
be beneficial.  Insecurity and depletion of water and pasture 
resources have greatly altered traditional animal migration routes. 
In some cases alternate routes can lead to a greater concentration 
of animals at limited pasture and water sources, increasing the 
potential for disease outbreaks.  Clustering of animals at human 
water points in times of water stress is also concerning due to the 
increased potential for contamination of safe drinking water 
sources. 
 
¶8.  (U) In markets in all three states, the agriculture and food 
security advisor observed animals in generally good condition. 
Diverse factors, including the end of the rainy season, the 
migration of animals, changes in food aid ration sizes, security 
issues, and access to markets all affect the price of livestock and 
terms of trade; thus, price trends depend on a combination of local 
factors. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
LAND TENURE, WATER REMAIN AGRICULTURAL CHALLENGES 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Comment:  Farmers throughout Darfur face challenges due to 
continued insecurity, lack of resolution of land tenure issues, 
limited access to water for agriculture, irregularity of rainfall in 
the region, pests and parasitic weeds, and increasing degradation of 
pasture and farmland.  As security improves and people seek to 
return voluntarily to areas of origin, these issues could slow 
returns and make the transition from IDP to self-sustaining producer 
or pastoralist more challenging.  The resolution of land tenure 
issues is of particular importance, as providing agricultural 
assistance to returnees before issues related to ownership and use 
of land are resolved could create tension between returnees and new 
occupants of land, leading to additional conflict. 
 
WHITEHEAD