expanding agriculture and food security activities in ... - part - usaid

DATES: May 4, 2009, May 5, 2009
PARTICIPANTS: USAID/EA:
Peter Ewell, Regional Economic Growth and Investment
David Rinck, Regional Food for Peace (FFP)
Kaarli Sudsmo
USAID/Washington:
Tom Hobgood, USAID/W Africa Bureau
Jeff Hill, USAID/W Africa Bureau
Susan Bradley, Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance
(DCHA)/W
Meg Brown
Ahmed Sidahmed
PURPOSE: To get the regional perspective on agriculture and economic growth activities and how S
Sudan’s new ag program will relate to regional activities.
DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS:
• Global Food Security Response is USAID’s very large new initiative to address the food crisis.
• Strong Africa focus.
• Components include ag productivity, Trade, including regional, Policy Environment, and
increasing economic opportunities for the ultra poor. Incorporates natural resources and climate
change.
• Perhaps add on element dealing women in agriculture to adapt systems to improve access to
services and improve child nutrition.
• CAADP (Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Plan, from the AU) will be the
centerpiece of USAID’s investments in agriculture development.
• ACTESA (Alliance for Commodity Trade in ESA) is a COMESA wide framework coming out of
CAADP. There is a Market Linkages Program to link small farmers to markets. One target area
is the Uganda- S Sudan border with its large numbers of people emerging from crisis. Warehouse
receipts ideally, but not ready for this. Work with farmer groups, traders, MIS
• Also funding for support to the northern spur of the Northern Corridor for Uganda – S Sudan.
• Ag inputs – growing work on use of market-friendly vouchers to increase farmer access.
• Constraints to regional trade – ex., livestock and disease
• Jeff Hill noted: Purpose of Title II is to get production going at farmer level
• Lots of concern from Kenya, TZ on volumes of exports into S Sudan and implications for food
security in region
• WFP has a role to develop demand (food staple)
• S Sudan needs to integrate into the region
• Need to look to ASARECA for ag research – mandate to support ECA countries incl Sudan.
• Use Mozambique and Uganda as models for building markets, policy, capacity.
• Infrastructure needs to support and serve ag in S Sudan.
• Susan Bradley: S Sudan MYAP – could this focus on nutrition? Should consider having food for
work in food deficit areas. Is local procurement possible?
EXPANDING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY ACTIVITIES IN SOUTHERN SUDAN 51