An Action Plan for Africa (2011-2012) Improving Statistics for Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development An Action Plan for Africa (2011-2012) Third Meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa (StatCom Africa -III) Jan 18-23, 2012; Cape Town Statistical Capacity Building Division Statistics Department Chief Economist Complex African Development Bank

Contents General background Global Strategy Action Plan for Africa (AP-Africa) Governance mechanism for the AP-Africa Technical Assistance component for AP-Africa Country Assessment for the AP-Africa Where we are? Expectations from StatCom-Africa III 2

1. General background Recent years witnessed unprecedented increase in demand for statistics in developing countries new focus on managing for development results (MfDR) (nationally & internationally) poverty reduction strategies (PRSs) MDGs other development programmes (sectoral) New and emerging policy issues – environment and climate change, gender, biofuels, etc. Declining quantity and quality of agricultural statistics in developing countries 3

Challenges Organization challenges Institutional Technical Inadequate resources Lack of enabling infrastructure Methodological challenges Institutional Legislation Poor or lack of coordination Lack of integrated system (piece meal approach) Technical Methodological

2. Global Strategy for Improving Stat for Food Security, Sustainable Agric & Rural Development Endorsement: February 2010 by the United Nations Statistical Commission. Purpose: Providing a framework and methodology that will lead to improvements in the availability and quality of national and international food and agricultural statistics, to guide policy analysis and decision-making in the 21st century. Expected main result: “good statistics” – comprehensive, relevant, accurate, consistent & timely to illuminate above issues.

The three pillars: - Establishment of a minimum set of core data; - Integration of agriculture into NSS: Master sample frame for agriculture, Integrated survey framework and Data management system; - Foundation providing the sustainability of the agricultural statistics system: governance & and statistical capacity building. Components: - Technical Assistance; - Training; - Research. + Governance Mechanism

3. Action Plan for Africa (2011-2015 Development process and implementation agencies Developed since 2010 (by AfDB, ECA, FAO & AUC) and published in May 2011. Shared and discussed with key stakeholders at several foras Co-signed by the Executive Chiefs of FAO, AfDB, ECA, AUC. Africa is the first region to develop the Global Strategy. Implementing agencies: AfDB: TA, including Governance mechanism FAO: Research ECA: Training.

Identified key stakeholders Main beneficiaries: African countries. Leading Implementation agencies: AfDB, ECA and FAO. Other African Institutions: AU, RECs and SROs mainly (AFRISTAT, Regional Statistical Training Centres), etc. Existing structures: StatCom-Africa CoDGs, ASCC, AFCAS, NEPAD, NASCCs, etc. Development partners: Contributing donors Others: UN system, Civil society organizations, Private sector, etc. 8

4. Governance mechanism for AP-Africa Goal To establish institutional framework and coordination arrangements aimed at defining linkages between processes and structures 9

Expected key outcomes Minimum set of core agricultural statistics produced annually and disseminated to users (national & international) Legal provisions for agricultural statistics aligned with other provisions (National Statistical legislation) Appropriate structures for coordinating strategy implementation at regional and national levels Appropriate structures for integrating agriculture into the National Statistical System Resources are mobilized and allocated These complement outcomes from other components. 10

Ensuring success Stakeholder ownership of the system, and commitment Use of existing structures - StatCom-Africa, CoDGs, ASCC, AFCAS, RECs/SROs, NASCs Mainstreaming statistics in sector plans and programs Phased approach (doing by learning from lessons ) Year 1: 12 countries; Year 2: 24 countries Year 3: 36 countries ; Year 4: 48 Countries Year 5: 54 Countries Accountability - Monitoring & reporting at every level Donor support - Opportunities at country and regional level. 11

Governance structure of the AP for Africa StatCom-Africa & AFCAS Regional Steering Committee (Executive Committee) Regional Implementation Secretariat (at AfDB) National Agricultural Statistics Committee National Strategy Coordinator (Within NSS) ECA (Regional Strategy Leader on Training) LEGEND Vertical relationship Horizontal relationship Integral Part For Information Policy Bodies Operational structures Structures to be kept in the loop FAO (Regional Strategy Leader on Research) AfDB (Regional Strategy Leader on Technical Assistance) RECs/SROs NEPAD CoDGs National Technical Working Group Global Implementation Office 12 12

National Technical Working Group on Agricultural Statistics National Agricultural Statistics Committee Sub-sector 1: Crops Stat. Sub-sector 2: Livestock Stat. Sub-sector 3: Fishery Stat. Sub-sector 4: Forestry, Land/Water use Stat. Sub-sector 5: Prices, HHBS, Nutrition, etc. National Strategy Coordonnateur

National Agricultural Statistics Committee Responsibility: Oversee the development of the National Agricultural Statistical System National Strategy Coordinator (NSC) lead agency – MoA or NSO- designate NSC coordinate administrative and technical work work closely with Regional Strategy Coordinator, NSDS coordinator, etc. 14

5. Technical Assistance component for AP-Africa Elements of the TA Component: Design Sector Strategic Plans for Agricultural Statistics (SSPAS) in the context of NSDS Development of institutional and organizational capacities Development and harmonization of data sources, and Data harmonization and management

Models for delivering TA Approach: Grouping and selecting countries according to their level of development of agricultural statistics (based on their capacities and needs) Prioritization of activities: To be built based on the results obtained from the assessment of country needs and capacity Phased approach = Doing by learning Slide 16

Models for delivering TA (Ctd) Leveraging existing structures: Using existing structures at regional and sub-regional levels + National level Harnessing regional capacities (Re South-South Cooperation) Partnership in the implementation Using international experts Slide 17

6. Statistical country assessment 6.1. Preliminary country assessment

6.2 Grouping countries Group A Group B Group C Group D Slide 19

6.3. Why a Country Assessment? To determine the appropriate level of agricultural statistical development of the countries. Result Complete assessment of the statistical needs and capabilities Leading to Appropriate country grouping Updated baseline information for the M&E system Action Plans + Integration of agric. statistics into the overall NSDS. Prioritization of activities according to country actual needs Better allocation if resources according to actual country needs

6.4. Overview of the Country Assessment Questionnaire Module I: Overview of the National Statistical System Section 1 – Institutional environment Section 2 – Core date availability Module II: Ongoing statistical activities and constraints Section 1: Main statistical activities Section 2: Critical constraints in agriculture statistics system Module III: Information on sub-sectors of agriculture Section 1: Main statistical activities of the sub-sectors

7. Where we are? 7.1 Achievement Action Plan: Available both in English & French Appointment of Coordinator of Action Plan 1st RSTC meeting: July 2011 Resources mobilization: initial discussions with donors meeting in Rome (Oct 2011) Country Assessment: Instrument field testing completed, Questionnaire finalized (being translated) January 2011: Launch of Quarterly Action Plan Bulletins On-going work: Printing French version of the AP doc; Country assessment: guidelines, Tabulation/analysis plans, database development/web-based system, etc. 22

Development of national action plans 7.2. Next step Training workshop and launching of Country Assessment (Data collection, processing and analysis; Country profiles/ranking/ grouping) In-depth assessment, Development of national action plans Establishment of M&E baseline information. Integration of the Agric. Stats in the NSDS; etc. 23

8. Expectations from Stat-Com Endorsement of the Action Plan Region Member Countries: -> Ownership of the Action Plan 2011 -> Set up the national governance mechanism and appointment of the National Strategy Coordinator, NASC, and TWG 24

Thank you 25