20 th Session of the African Commission on Agricultural Statistics Algiers, Algeria, DECEMBER 2007

Introduction  This report highlighted areas of strengths and weaknesses in National Statistical Systems.  Provide important and useful metadata  Can be an advocacy tool for national statistical activities

Introduction-Contd.  Fifty-one countries were assigned the questionnaire  Thirty-eight responded timely to the (76.5%) for 2007  An increase in response rate as compared with 2005 survey (60.1%)- Chart 1

Legal Framework  About 94.7% countries had legal framework for general statistical activities  About 81.1% countries had legal framework for agricultural statistical activities  Less than 50% of countries had an active agricultural statistics advisory committee

Structure of the National Statistical System  44.7% countries mainly practice a statistical system decentralized by sector with minimum coordinating authority- Chart 3

Table 1: Most important national institution involved in the production of agricultural census FrequencyPercent National Statistical Office1331 Agricultural Statistical Office2969 Total response42100

Strategic Framework  NSDS was in existence in more than 50% countries in Africa  But majority of them (52%) were not operational  Yet most countries (92%) included a programme of activities for general statistics – Chart 5

Dialogue with data users  Less than 50% countries had an official forum for dialogue between agricultural Statistics producers and users

Financial Resources  In 2007, according to countries which has responded to the question related to the annual budget allocated to agricultural statistical activities (25 countries), the average of about USD 629,784 is used by countries for that activity (the minimum and maximum values recorded being USD 26,454 and USD 2,714,441). In 2005, only 16 countries 9not necessarily the same as in 2007) have responded to the same questionnaires. This fact makes impossible any comparative analysis of this important information.

Human Resources Table 2: Human Resources ( ) Country No.of Prof. Staff in the HQ No. of Prof. staff in the regional/loc al office No. of support staff in the HQ No. of support staff in the regional/local offices North Africa West Africa Central Africa East Africa Southern Africa Total Africa

International cooperation and external assistance  Very few countries (21%) had long term experts at post during the past 12 months  43.2% had technical assistance during the same period  11.8% of countries in Africa had partnership with similar institution abroad

Adoption of international classification  68.2% of countries adopted Harmonized system of classification (HS)  53.8% for ISIC

Agricultural Census  81.6% of countries had already conducted agric. Census  84.4% of them made results available to users  Most countries had external technical (80.6%) and financial (83.3%) support

Information Technology  About 60% of countries have web sites and databases in existence respectively

Conclusion  On the whole the response rate was high considering the time constraints.  However, some portions of the questionnaire were not completed.  Limited analysis for some information (budget and human resources as well as number of computers).  Information given by few countries don’t give a true picture of what is happening on the ground.  With regards to the legal framework, it looks like African Governments come to realize institutionally the importance of statistics.  Good results from this survey can be used as advocacy for agricultural statistics activities.

Recommendations  Countries to provide their comments for the improvement of the questionnaire.  Countries to review and complete their respective questionnaires.  RAF to do more analysis and publish results through a pamphlet?

Thank you for your kind attention