US embassy cable - 04ROME2395

UNCLAS  ROME 002395 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR E, EB/IFD/ODA, IO, IO/EDA, AF/EPS, AF/E 
TREASURY FOR OSDI - JASKOWIAK, BLOOMGARDEN, BRUBAKER 
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, D/A SCHIECK, 
AA/DCHA WINTER, AA/AFR BROWN, DCHA/D/FFP LANDIS, 
OFDA HALMRAST-SANCHEZ, AA/GLOBAL PETERSON 
USDA/FNCS FOR U/S BOST, FAS FOR U/S PENN AND CHAMBLISS 
ADDIS ABABA FOR AMBASSADOR AND USAID DIRECTOR 
NAIROBI FOR FAS KESSLER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, EFIN, EAID, AORC, ET, FAO 
SUBJECT:  ETHIOPIA FOOD SECURITY VISIT: FAO PROJECTS 
OBSERVED 
 
REF:  ROME 1496 
 
1.  Summary:  During an 8-day trip to examine food 
insecurity in Ethiopia, members of a delegation led by 
Ambassador Tony P. Hall made field visits to two projects 
funded by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): 
(1) a vegetable seed distribution site in Shebedino Woreda, 
Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR), 
and (2) a Telefood project to improve vegetable production 
at Birueh Tesfa Farmer's Association, Akaki, Addis Ababa 
Region.  These activities appeared successful and helpful to 
the local target populations in improving their food 
security.  The projects represent only a small sample of 
FAO's overall portfolio in Ethiopia, which includes ongoing 
projects valued at nearly $3 million from regular program 
funds and over $20 million from voluntary donor 
contributions.  Active projects include livestock 
improvement, surveillance of animal diseases, improved 
animal vaccines, assessment and control of land degradation, 
and improved pesticide management.  FAO's current activities 
in the country emphasize longer-term, sustainable 
development.  The organization also has provided, in 2003 
alone, over $4 million in emergency assistance in the form 
of seeds and other agricultural inputs and services.  FAO 
would be more effective in Ethiopia if it were to make a 
greater effort to send its very best professionals, to focus 
its activities in its areas of strength, and to reach out to 
the private sector and NGOs.  End summary. 
 
2.  This is one of several reports on the April 12-19 visit 
of a delegation led by Ambassador Tony P. Hall (U.S. Mission 
to the UN Agencies in Rome) to observe, document and raise 
awareness of food insecurity issues in Ethiopia and the role 
of UN agencies and other partners in addressing these 
issues.  See reftel for trip overview.  This report covers 
the FAO projects visited.  The full delegation visited a 
site near Leku, Shebedino -- located 20 km south of Awasa -- 
on April 14.  One delegation member (Willem Brakel, 
Alternate Permanent Representative, U.S. Mission Rome) made 
a separate visit on April 16 to an FAO-supported project 
located 23 km SSE of Addis Ababa. 
 
BACKGROUND: FAO IN ETHIOPIA 
--------------------------- 
 
3.  Under its Technical Cooperation Program (TCP), which is 
funded out of the organization's regular program budget, FAO 
currently has ten projects operational in Ethiopia, totaling 
$2.843 million.  (This figure and the breakdown below are 
from an FAO "Agency Profile" on Ethiopia dated 3 March 
2004.)  Current TCP projects include: 
 
-- urgent provision of seeds for drought-affected areas of 
Oromia and Amhara regions ($773,000); 
 
-- capacity building in the livestock sector ($422,000); 
 
-- surveillance of Rift Valley fever and other vector-borne 
animal diseases with trade implications ($292,000); 
 
-- promotion of cactus pear production and use ($334,000); 
 
-- support for pastoral communities in the Afar and Somali 
regions ($341,000); 
 
-- improving livestock and poultry vaccine technology 
($374,000); and 
 
-- establishing disease-fee livestock zones ($200,000). 
 
4.  FAO has another four TCP projects in the pipeline, 
totaling $1.37 million, having to do with: 
 
-- African economic integration and food security (nearly 
 
 
$298,000); 
 
-- sustainable livelihoods for disabled young people 
($335,000); 
 
-- community-based integrated watershed development 
($372,000); and 
 
-- strengthening capacity for land degradation assessment 
and desertification control ($365,000). 
 
5.  There are $20.48 million in FAO Trust Fund projects 
currently operational.  These are projects supported by 
voluntary contributions from bilateral donors and executed 
by the federal Ministry of Agriculture and (in some cases) 
regional authorities.  Major ongoing Trust Fund activities 
include: 
 
-- developing an effective pesticide management system and 
disposal of obsolete pesticides ($9.2 million from Belgium, 
Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Japan and U.S.); 
 
-- improving nutrition and food security in Tigray and 
Amhara regions ($4.2 million from Belgium); 
 
-- strengthening the seed supply system at the local level 
($1.5 million from Norway); 
 
-- supporting livestock exports ($1.5 million from Italy); 
 
-- provision of seeds in drought-affected areas ($3.4 
million from the Netherlands and Canada) [the Shebedino 
project described in para 8  falls within this category]; 
and 
 
-- coordination of emergency agricultural relief and 
rehabilitation activities ($119,000 from U.S.). 
 
6.  There is also an FAO regional Trust Fund project for 
water resource management in the Nile Basin countries ($5.25 
million in total) that includes an Ethiopian component. 
Under the FAO/UNDP Cooperative Program there are ongoing 
projects valued at $926,000 for development of national 
agricultural information systems, urgent relief and recovery 
assistance for drought-affected farmers and pastoralists, 
and coordination of livestock relief and recovery 
activities.  An Italian-funded project under FAO's Special 
Program for Food Security (SPFS) promotes South-South 
cooperation on small-scale irrigation schemes. 
 
7.  Finally, since 2001, FAO has managed or is managing 13 
small, community-based Telefood mini-projects (under $10,000 
each) linked to World Food Day public outreach activities, 
with three additional mini-projects awaiting approval.  [The 
Birueh Tesfa scheme described in para 10-11 is a Telefood 
project.] 
 
SHEBEDINO SEED DISTRIBUTION SITE 
-------------------------------- 
 
8.  In its visit to Leku, Shebedino, the delegation was 
accompanied by George Mburathi (FAO Representative in 
Ethiopia to the African Union and Economic Commission for 
Africa), Daniele Donati (Africa Emergency Coordinator, FAO 
Nairobi), Alex Jones (Emergency Operations Officer, FAO 
Rome), Luciano Mosele (Emergency Coordinator, FAO Ethiopia). 
It was explained that the aim of this 1-year project has 
been to assist 2,364 Shebedino farming households in using 
their land more efficiently by practicing mixed farming, 
improving the quality of their diet, and recovering rapidly 
from the 2002 drought.  Some 88.4 MT of cereal seeds and 164 
kg of vegetable seeds were provided to the farmers, who were 
actively involved in the design and implementation of the 
project.  It was estimated that the seed assistance 
 
 
contributed to the production of 1,1416 MT of grains, and on 
average contributed to household food needs for 4-7 months. 
 
9.  Stakeholders explained that development agents and 
farmers are currently being trained in order to improve crop 
cultivation, post-harvest management and pest control. 
According to a recent impact assessment, 47% of households 
covered by the project have become self-sufficient for the 
year 2004.  Delegation members were impressed by the lush 
appearance of the site and the diversity of vegetables under 
cultivation, but were reminded that the intensive land use 
and high population densities that exist in this area can 
easily result in "green famine" conditions, where 
malnutrition and hunger occur despite the verdant 
surroundings. 
 
BIRUEH TESFA FARMERS' ASSOCIATION 
--------------------------------- 
 
10.  The 64-member Birihue Tesfa Farmers' Association, 
located 3 km SW of the town of Akaki, was visited by one 
delegation member (Alternate Permanent Representative, U.S. 
Mission Rome) on April 16, accompanied by FAO's Luciano 
Mosele.  Members of the association, established in 1989, 
produce cereal (under rain) and vegetable crops (under 
irrigation) on 47 hectares of land.  Actual cultivation is 
carried out on an individual basis, with each household 
holding up to 0.6 hectares.  A shortage of pumps, lack of 
appropriate tools and unavailability of high-quality 
vegetable seeds have limited farmers' productivity.  With a 
$10,000 grant from the Telefood program, major improvements 
were possible.  The area under irrigation was extended, 
dykes were built to control flooding, and necessary inputs 
were provided, together with training and technical 
assistance. 
 
11.  It was explained that many association members were 
internally displaced persons (IDPs) forced to relocate from 
the northern border area during the war with Eritrea.  Some 
were town dwellers without strong farming traditions or 
skills.  With assistance from the FAO project, they have 
been able to improve their lot, though they still lack 
electricity, ready access to clean water, and a good all- 
weather road to move their produce to market.  The plows 
drawn by twin-oxen teams and donkey carts provided a 
picturesque scene, but the farmers said they wanted 
tractors. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
12.  The two projects visited, though only a small sample of 
ongoing FAO activities in Ethiopia, provided an illustration 
of the benefits the organization has been able to provide to 
targeted small farmers.  Overall funding for FAO projects is 
modest compared to the value of food aid donated to Ethiopia 
in 2002 and 2003, but the impact of these projects is 
greater than the dollar figures imply, given their focus on 
capacity building and long-term sustainable development. 
 
13.  Notwithstanding our generally favorable impression of 
the projects visited, U.S. Mission Rome believes that FAO 
could and should be more effective in Ethiopia, given the 
number of lives and livelihoods at stake and the magnitude 
of the agricultural development challenges there.  This 
requires strong, hands-on, field-oriented leadership at the 
helm of FAO's Permanent Representation in Addis Ababa, and a 
long-term commitment on the part of the organization to send 
to Ethiopia its best and brightest.  FAO should do more to 
prioritize and focus its efforts in its areas of strength, 
rather than trying to be the "shadow" Ministry of 
Agriculture.  Livestock and animal diseases may be an area 
of comparative advantage.  Finally, we believe FAO could do 
more to reach out and cooperate with the private sector and 
 
 
NGO community. 
 
Hall 
 
 
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 2004ROME02395 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED