US embassy cable - 03ROME1908

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 001908 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA WINNICK AND KOTOK 
USAID FOR AA/EGAT SIMMONS, AA/DCHA WINTER 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01908  01 OF 03  051425Z 
USDA/FAS LYNN REICH AND DICK HUGHES 
PARIS FOR UNESCO 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC, FAO AORC, FAO AORC, FAO 
SUBJECT:  FAO'S FOCUS ON HIV/AIDS 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. THE UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO) BRIEFED 
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 29, 2003 ON THE HIV/AIDS 
CRISIS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, AND FAO'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE 
ISSUE.  THE MESSAGE: HIV/AIDS IN AFRICA NEEDS TO BE 
ADDRESSED THROUGH A MULTI-SECTORAL APPROACH.  ONE-THIRD OF 
THE AGRICULTURAL LABOR POPULATION IN AFRICA'S HARDEST HIT 
COUNTRIES WILL PROBABLY BE DEAD IN FIVE YEARS; BETTER 
NUTRITION COULD HELP EXTEND LIVES; GREATER HOUSEHOLD FOOD 
SECURITY COULD ALLEVIATE THE NEED TO ENGAGE IN RISKY 
SURVIVAL STRATEGIES SUCH AS PROSTITUTION.  PER FAO: MORE 
RESOURCES ARE NEEDED.  MISSION WELCOMES FAO'S INCREASED 
INVOLVEMENT IN THIS ISSUE. FAO IS WELL POSITIONED TO 
ESTABLISH STANDARD INDICATORS AND METHODS FOR INCORPORATING 
HIV/AIDS INTO FOOD SECURITY, CROP AND VULNERABILITY 
ASSESSMENTS. UNDOUBTEDLY, MORE AND BETTER ESTIMATES OF THE 
MACROECONOMIC EFFECTS OF AIDS ON A GIVEN COUNTRY'S 
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ARE NEEDED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS 
INCREASINGLY DEVASTATING ECONOMIC IMPACT. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  FAO STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01908  01 OF 03  051425Z 
SERVICE, THE HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY SERVICE, AND THE 
EMERGENCY DIVISION BRIEFED ROME PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 29 ON THE HIV/AIDS CRISIS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, AND 
FAO'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE ISSUE.  ACCORDING TO THE FAO TEAM, 
"ALL FAO TECHNICAL DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING IN SOME SENSE ON 
THIS ISSUE; AND IT AFFECTS ALL COUNTRIES THAT FAO WORKS IN." 
THE BRIEFING FOCUSED ON SOUTHERN AFRICA BECAUSE OF AIDS 
SEVERE PREVALENCE IN THAT REGION AND ITS AFFECT ON HEALTH, 
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE.   IT WAS NOTED THAT IN A 
REGION WHERE SOME 80 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION DEPENDS ON 
AGRICULTURE, SOME COUNTRIES ALREADY HAD AN INFECTION RATE OF 
39 PERCENT.  FAO DIRECTOR OF POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, 
MARCELA VILLAREAL COMMENTED: "WE THOUGHT BEFORE THAT THERE 
WOULD BE SOME [NATURAL] LIMIT TO THE INFECTION RATE; NOW, WE 
DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WILL STOP." 
 
-------- 
WHY FAO? 
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3.   THE FAO PRESENTATION EMPHASIZED THE LINK BETWEEN 
HIV/AIDS AND FOOD SECURITY.  AT THE INDIVIDUAL AND HOUSEHOLD 
LEVEL, INFECTION REDUCES THE CAPACITY TO PRODUCE FOOD; 
HOUSEHOLD RESOURCES ARE SOLD OFF TO BUY FOOD; CHILDREN ARE 
TAKEN OUT OF SCHOOL TO WORK.  AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL, THE 
PANDEMIC UNDERMINES THE TRANSMISSION OF AGRICULTURAL KNOW- 
HOW BETWEEN GENERATIONS; EFFECTIVE FARMING TECHNIQUES ARE 
LOST.  AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, EXTENSION WORKERS ARE DYING, 
PRODUCTION SYSTEMS CHANGING, WITH FEWER WORKERS, A MORE 
NARROW RANGE OF CROPS ARE BEING GROWN, REDUCING GENETIC 
DIVERSITY.  AS AIDS STRIKES DURING PRODUCTIVE YEARS, THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01908  01 OF 03  051425Z 
IMPACT ON AGRICULTURAL LABOR IS SEVERE - FAO CALCULATES THAT 
THE NINE HARDEST HIT AFRICAN COUNTRIES MIGHT LOSE UP TO A 
FOURTH OF THEIR AGRICULTURAL LABOR BY 2020.  HOWEVER, IT IS 
NOTED THAT THE RATE IS HIGHLY UNEVEN BETWEEN COUNTRIES.  FOR 
EXAMPLE, IN UGANDA, THE CURRENT MORTALITY RATE IS EXPECTED 
TO REMAIN STABLE; IN NAMIBIA AND MOZAMBIQUE, THE MORTALITY 
RATE IS EXPECTED TO "SOAR." 
 
4. THE FAO STATED THAT THE IMPLICATIONS FOR AGRICULTURE WERE 
ALREADY TO BE SEEN - LESS LAND CULTIVATED, A SHIFT TO LESS 
LABOR INTENSIVE CROPS, CULTIVATION OF A NARROWER RANGE OF 
CROPS, AN INCREASE IN THE COST OF HIRED LABOR, MORE 
DEFAULTING ON LOANS, DEFLATED LAND PRICES, LOWER 
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, INCREASED FOOD INSECURITY, AND 
HIGHER MALNUTRITION RATES. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
HIV/AIDS AND FOOD INSECURITY: A "DEADLY CYCLE" 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
5.  THE FAO PRESENTATION SET OUT A "DEADLY CYCLE": HOUSEHOLD 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ3147 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01908  02 OF 03  051425Z 
ACTION AID-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    EVG-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00  DODE-00 
      WHA-00   SRPP-00  MEDE-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   OIGO-00 
      UTED-00  TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    M-00     DCP-01   NSAE-00 
      OES-00   OIC-02   DHS-00   PER-00   IRM-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00 
      SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------5FC3CD  051429Z /38 
R 051423Z MAY 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9655 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2659 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
SADC COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
USEU BRUSSELS 3205 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 001908 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA WINNICK AND KOTOK 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01908  02 OF 03  051425Z 
USAID FOR AA/EGAT SIMMONS, AA/DCHA WINTER 
USDA/FAS LYNN REICH AND DICK HUGHES 
PARIS FOR UNESCO 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  AORC, FAO 
SUBJECT:  FAO'S FOCUS ON HIV/AIDS 
 
POVERTY AND INABILITY OF THE PRIMARY INCOME-EARNER TO SUPPLY 
FOOD LEADS TO HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS ENGAGING IN "RISKY SURVIVAL 
ACTIVITIES," SUCH AS PROSTITUTION, OR MIGRATION TO URBAN 
AREAS WITH HIGH INFECTION RATES; ONCE INFECTED, MALNUTRITION 
LEADS TO A FASTER PROGRESSION TO AIDS. HOWEVER, THEY ARGUE, 
IF INTERVENTIONS ARE MADE TO REDUCE FOOD INSECURITY AND 
IMPROVE NUTRITION, LIFE SPANS WOULD BE LENGTHENED SOMEWHAT 
BY SLOWER PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE; HOPEFULLY INFECTION 
RATES WOULD BE INFLUENCED BY A DECLINE IN "RISKY SURVIVAL 
ACTIVITIES" AND LESS ECONOMIC MIGRATION. 
 
6.  THE FAO PRESENTERS STATED THAT HERETOFORE THE GLOBAL 
RESPONSE HAS BEEN PRIMARILY HEALTH-CARE BASED, WITH HEALTH 
LEADING THE MULTI-SECTORAL STRATEGIES.  HOWEVER, A MEDICINE 
BASED-SOLUTION WAS "FAR FROM REALISTIC IN AFRICA," 
PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE NEED FOR FOOD AND CLEAN WATER TO EVEN 
TAKE THE PRESCRIBED MEDICINE. 
 
---------------------------------- 
A NEW AGRICULTURAL PARADIGM NEEDED 
--------------------------------- 
 
7. FAO HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY OFFICER FLORENCE EGAL STATED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01908  02 OF 03  051425Z 
THAT PREVIOUS AGRICULTURAL POLICIES COULD NOT CONTINUE:  AN 
AGRICULTURE STRATEGY WHICH FOCUSED ON HEAVY EQUIPMENT, WAS 
NOT SUITABLE; DIFFERENT KINDS OF LABOR-SAVING DEVICES NEEDED 
TO BE FOUND TO HELP WOMEN WEAKENED BY INFECTION; NATIONAL 
AND COMMUNITY LAWS AND CUSTOMS NEEDED TO BE EXAMINED TO 
ENSURE THAT WOMEN HAVE THE RIGHT TO INHERIT LAND AND OTHER 
ECONOMIC ASSETS.  ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT AGRICULTURAL KNOWLEDGE 
SYSTEMS, INCLUDING EXTENSION, RESEARCH AND AGRICULTURAL 
COLLEGES NEEDED TO BE REEXAMINED. 
 
--------------------------- 
WHAT HAS FAO DONE TO DATE? 
--------------------------- 
 
8.  ACCORDING TO THE PRESENTATION, FAO'S WORK HAS PRIMARILY 
BEEN ADVOCACY, AWARENESS-RAISING AND INFORMATION 
DISSEMINATION.  FAO STAFF MEMBERS EMPHASIZED THAT THE HEALTH 
SIDE FOCUS PERTAINED TO WHO, AND FAO WORK DID NOT OVERLAP. 
FAO HAS PUBLISHED RESEARCH SINCE 1988 ON THE IMPACT OF 
HIV/AIDS ON FOOD SECURITY AND AGRICULTURE; PROVIDED TRAINING 
AND INFORMATION MATERIALS ON ISSUES SUCH AS LAND TENANCY AND 
LAND OWNERSHIP; PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO AGRICULTURAL 
MINISTRIES ON MITIGATION, PREVENTION.  INTERNALLY FAO HAS 
ATTEMPTED TO ENSURE THAT THE ISSUE IS "MAINSTREAMED" IN ALL 
DIVISIONS (IT WAS NOTED THAT THE 2001 COMMITTEE ON WORLD 
FOOD SECURITY AND THE 2002 FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN AFRICA 
PROVIDED A MANDATE FOR THE FAO TO FOCUS SPECIAL ATTENTION ON 
HIV/AIDS).  FAO RECENTLY PUBLISHED A PAMPHLET ON ENSURING 
GOOD NUTRITION FOR HIV/AIDS SUFFERERS, SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED 
FOR LOW-INCOME RURAL FAMILIES. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01908  02 OF 03  051425Z 
9.  AS FAR AS FIELD ACTIVITIES, THE PRESENTATION MENTIONED 
AN HIV/AIDS COMPONENT IN THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR FOOD 
SECURITY IN MOZAMBIQUE AND KENYA, POLICY ADVICE ON HOUSEHOLD 
FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION IN MOZAMBIQUE AND ZAMBIA AND 
WORK ON GENDER EQUALITY ISSUES IN NAMIBIA, UGANDA AND 
ZAMBIA.  IT WAS NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT FAO RESOURCES DEDICATED 
TO THESE INTERVENTIONS WERE VERY SMALL. 
 
---------------------- 
MORE RESOURCES, PLEASE 
--------------------- 
 
10.  RICHARD CHINA OF FAO'S EMERGENCY UNIT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT 
DONORS HAVE BEEN VERY GENEROUS IN RESPONDING TO THE CURRENT 
FOOD EMERGENCY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, BUT REGRETTED THAT 
RESOURCES ARE NOT FORTHCOMING FOR THE CONTINUING PROBLEM OF 
THE 15 MILLION LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS.  MR. CHINA STATED 
(INCORRECTLY) THAT WORLD FOOD PROGRAM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JIM 
MORRIS HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GAIN EXECUTIVE BOARD (EB) ASSENT 
TO DECLARING HIV/AIDS A JUSTIFICATION FOR A CONTINUING FOOD 
EMERGENCY.  (COMMENT: THE APPROVED EB RECOMMENDATION 
LANGUAGE WAS: "WHEN HIV/AIDS THREATENS FOOD SECURITY AND 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ3149 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01908  03 OF 03  051426Z 
ACTION AID-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AF-00    EVG-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   USNW-00  DODE-00 
      WHA-00   SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  TEDE-00 
      INR-00   IO-00    M-00     NSAE-00  OES-00   OIC-02   DHS-00 
      PER-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------5FC3DD  051429Z /38 
R 051423Z MAY 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9656 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
USDA FAS WASHDC 2660 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
USMISSION GENEVA 
SADC COLLECTIVE 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
USEU BRUSSELS 3206 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 001908 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR IO A/S HOLMES, IO/EDA WINNICK AND KOTOK 
USAID FOR AA/EGAT SIMMONS, AA/DCHA WINTER 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01908  03 OF 03  051426Z 
USDA/FAS LYNN REICH AND DICK HUGHES 
PARIS FOR UNESCO 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS:  AORC, FAO 
SUBJECT:  FAO'S FOCUS ON HIV/AIDS 
 
INFLUENCES MORTALITY, WFP WILL CONSIDER HIV/AIDS AS A BASIC 
COMPONENT OF A PROTRACTED RELIEF AND RECOVERY OPERATION 
(PRRO), CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT WFP POLICY ON PRROS." WHAT 
CHINA MAY BE RECALLING IS THE TRUE FACT THAT THERE WAS 
UNEASE EXPRESSED BY SOME DONORS REGARDING THIS APPROVED 
RECOMMENDATION.  END COMMENT.) 
 
11.  QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE NOTED THE NEED TO ENSURE 
THAT "ALL FAO PROJECTS HAVE AN HIV/AIDS CHAPTER" (CAMEROON); 
SPOKE OF THE NEED TO "ATTACK THE ATTITUDE SITUATION" AND 
MOVE BEYOND THE "SECRECY ABOUT THE SITUATION" WHERE DEATHS 
ARE REPORTED FROM TUBERCULOSIS, OR "WITCHCRAFT" INSTEAD OF 
AIDS (KENYA). MAURITANIA ARGUED THAT HIV/AIDS SHOULD BE THE 
FOCUS OF THE UPCOMING COMMITTEE ON WORLD FOOD SECURITY. NEW 
FAO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR WORLD FOOD SUMMIT FOLLOW- 
UP, EVA CLAYTON (AMCIT) DESCRIBED THE CURRENT STATE OF PLAY 
IN THE UNITED STATES CONCERNING FUNDING FOR PRESIDENT BUSH'S 
PROPOSED USD 15 BILLION FOR HIV/AIDS. 
 
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COMMENT 
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12. MISSION WELCOMES FAO'S INCREASED INVOLVEMENT IN THIS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01908  03 OF 03  051426Z 
ISSUE AND EFFORTS TO INCREASE AWARENESS WITH MEMBER 
COUNTRIES.  WHILE CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION IS NOW GIVEN TO 
HIV/AIDS (PARTICULARLY IN AFRICA) IN FAO MEETINGS, 
REGRETTABLY, THIS IS A FAIRLY RECENT PHENOMENON (THE FAO 
REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR AFRICA IN CAMEROON IN 1999 DID NOT 
EVEN MENTION HIV/AIDS). MISSION RECOGNIZES THAT FAO DOES NOT 
RANK CONSISTENTLY HIGH AS A PROVIDER OF POLICY ADVICE TO 
GOVERNMENTS AND MINISTRIES OF AGRICULTURE (SITUATIONS MAY 
VARY ACCORDING TO COUNTRY, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 
LOCAL FAO OFFICE). BUT FAO IS WELL POSITIONED TO ESTABLISH 
STANDARD INDICATORS AND METHODS FOR INCORPORATING HIV/AIDS 
INTO FOOD SECURITY, CROP AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS. 
UNDOUBTEDLY, MORE AND BETTER ESTIMATES OF THE MACROECONOMIC 
EFFECTS OF AIDS ON A GIVEN COUNTRY'S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ARE 
NEEDED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS INCREASINGLY DEVASTATING 
ECONOMIC IMPACT. HALL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2003ROME01908 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED