A Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa Olivier Dupriez, World Bank Fasdev II Addis Ababa, February 2006 Building on the Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa Managing for results: a growing demand for data At national and international levels, for national poverty reduction strategies, the Millennium Development Goals, sector development strategies, results monitoring systems, etc … but

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa The supply doesn’t satisfy the demand Not available: 30% Obtained from national sources: 60% Estimated by international agencies: 10% Estimates for 25 survey-based MDG indicators ( ) Average for low-income Sub-Saharan Africa

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa One cause … Lack of surveys and censuses Health survey in last 5 years 82 % of countries 81 % of population Poverty survey in last 5 years 56 % of countries 62 % of population Pop. census in last 10 years 67 % of countries 53 % of population 99 % in Europe, 95% in Asia, only 53% in Africa

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa One solution: better survey and census planning Improve timing, sequencing and frequency –Currently: often ad-hoc, donor-driven –Recommended: a continuous household survey program, with a population census every 10 years, e.g., Very few countries follow such a model Year 1Health and demographic survey Year 2Light monitoring survey Year 3Multi-topic survey with detailed consumption or expenditure module Year 4 Year 5Light monitoring survey Year 6Population and Housing Census

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa But more surveys is only part of the solution Reliability –Data not always reliable –Surveys are complex undertakings –Need better supervision, simpler design Comparability –Surveys not always comparable (over- time and across countries) –Need harmonization and “discipline”

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa But more surveys is only part of the solution Relevance –Do we collect what is most needed? –Problem also on demand-side –Need assessment and interaction with users Analysis and use: –Many surveys under-exploited due to limited analytical capacity by producers, and limited access by secondary users –Need micro-data preservation and dissemination strategy

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa Proposed solution: the Pilot Accelerated Data Program An integrated approach: –Inventory and dissemination of existing data International Household Survey Network “Toolkit” and guidelines (for documentation, dissemination) –Analysis and assessment of existing data –Review of survey methods and practices –Design medium-term survey programs (within NSDS; aligned with PRSP) –Support new data collection activities

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa Customized to country needs No pre-determined survey instrument ; builds on existing data collection programs Different focus in different countries: –Assessment of methods and data dissemination in “high capacity” countries; –Identifying priority needs and data collection in “low capacity” countries

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa Implementation A MAPS activity (  Advisory Board) Country-executed (NSOs, PRSP units) Six pilot countries in Sub-Saharan Africa –Proposed: Congo DR, Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Niger –Criteria: diversity (statistical capacity, language, etc) World Bank funding Cooperation with other donors and IHSN 3 to 5 years (from 2006)

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa Scaling up ? Lessons learned form pilot program may guide scaling up to all low-income countries in Sub- Saharan Africa Estimated annual cost: $109m (surveys+censuses) $38m (surveys only) Estimated annual cost: $109m (surveys+censuses) $38m (surveys only)

Pilot Accelerated Data Program for Africa In conclusion An “approach” more than a “project” Contributes to implement 21 out of the 80 recommendations made in the RRSF