Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural Statistics

1. Global Strategyto ImproveAgricultural Statistics Food and Agriculture June 22, 2009 Organization

2. Global Strategy An initiative of the United Nations Statistical Commission FAO and UN Statistics Division—secretariat—other partners including World Bank, African Development Bank, Eurostat, US Dept of Agriculture Should be viewed as a medium to long term plan and a living document

3. Challenges for Policy • Agriculture primary source to feed and clothe a growing population • While doing so, must: • Raise millions out of poverty • Reduce agriculture’s affect on the environment and global warming • Sustain water and land resources • Determine information needed to make policy decisions, monitor their effect

4. Vision: global strategy to support decision making in 21st century • Countries will agree upon a set of core data that meet data requrements and pledge to provide annually. • To meet data user expectations, agriculture will be integrated into the national statistical system. • Integration will be achieved by introducing methodology so that results are comparable across countries and over time.

5. Overview of the presentation • Why need a global strategy? • Basic and emerging data requirements • Conceptual framework for agriculture • Assessment of current agricultural statistics • Developing the strategy • Governance to meet strategic goals • Data quality and the way forward

6. Basic Data Requirements Forestry Inventory & Production Crop production Forecasts And estimates Aquaculture & Fishery Production Livestock Inventories And production Declining quantity and Quality of data, Or simply Not available Stocks Prices

7. Emerging Data Requirements Food price Crises Global Economy Millennium Development Goals Global warming Climate change Energy Costs Bio Fuels Happening at Same time, Are inter-related, Much data not available Land and Water use Agriculture Affect on The Environment

8. Conceptual Framework—Agricultural production Natural Environment Institutional Framework Outcomes and results The production process Socio-economic, political Output and Utilization Factors of Production

9. Conceptual Framework • Broaden scope to include forestry, fisheries • Statistical units: Agriculture holding, household, and establishments • Inclusion of rural and rural communities • Scope includes production by households • Land cover and use, Water use

10. Statistics—Current StatusDeclining response

11. Statistics—current status • Declining number of countries reporting basic production • Loss of statistical capacity • Agriculture left out of National Strategies for Development of Statistics • Duplicative efforts-conflicting numbers • Forestry, fisheries outside national and agricultural systems

12. Statistics current status -The Dilemma – who does what National Statistics Offices Ministry – Departments of Agriculture Land Management/Natural Resources Agencies Marketing Boards/ Commissions Health, education agencies Development efforts by donors, WB Each Collects data for own use with results that do not always agree – and limited ability to share data

13. Steps to determine the strategy • Developing a menu of indicators • FAO evaluations • World Bank/FAO Source Book of Indicators • FAO World Programme for Ag Census • Identifying a minimum sub set of core data items that meets most urgent data needs • Determining how to meet data needs by integrating agriculture into national system

14. Menu of Indicators • Meets basic and emerging requirements • Data to estimate each indicator, sources, • Technical notes/ classifications, etc • More than any one country can do annually • Shows where indicators require overlapping data (crop production/ land/water use/ input use, etc.) • Determine a minimum subset of core all countries agree to provide annually • Evaluate national needs to select additional items, determine frequency

15. Choice of Core • About 15 major commodities accounting for over 95 percent of world production • Production, prices, trade,--balances • Value added, food security, productivity • Land, water use • Plus Forestry, aquaculture & fishery • Major economic variables • Labor, household income, agricultural income inputs, demographics, consumption

16. How meet core requirements? • Points to need to integrate agriculture into national statistical system • Agreed upon set of methodology • Master Sample Frame • Integrated survey framework • Master data file (data warehouse)

17. Integrate agriculture into national statistical system • Avoid duplication of resources for frames, data collection, analysis • Avoid different data bases and conflicting numbers • Provide linkage between agriculture, land use, the environment, and houshold income • Improve statistical capacity • Combine and focus scarce resources

18. Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural Statistics Data requirements and Conceptual Framework Integrate Agriculture into National statistics System Methodology to Integrate Agriculture Menu of indicators Minimum set of “core” Data items Integrated Survey Framework Master Sample Frame Integrated Data Base Governance and Statistical Capacity Building

19. Integrated data bases • Official statistics • Harmonized definitions and classifications • Each item appear one time; i.e. one official number for everything from population, GDP, to maize forecast or production. • Micro data—long term view • Connect across surveys over time • Increase analytical capabilities

20. The governance challenge • How coordinate efforts of Ministries of Agriculture, National Statistical Offices, and others? • Who does what—Master sample frame, Integrated Survey Frame work, Integrated data base? • Starting point—form a Statistical Council • Build off strengths of each stakeholder • Technical expertise • Subject matter knowledge

21. The governance challenge • Role of national organizations • Add agriculture (forestry and fisheries) to National Strategies for Development of Statistics • Focus fund raising on national statistical system • Role of international organizations • Focus capacity building and support for statistics on overall national statistical system • Centers of excellence-statistics, remote sensing? • Role of Donors • Work with Statistical Council instead of separate sectors

22. The way forward • National input—Min of AG, National Statistical Offices & other stakeholders • Review and update National Strategies for Development of Statistics • International input from stakeholders • ISI Satellite meeting on agricultural statistics • Develop final strategy for 2010 UNSC • Develop Implementation Plan

23. Thank you!Questions?Comments--Suggestions