Interstate Statistical Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS-Stat) Implementing the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics in the CIS region Andrey E. Kosarev Deputy Chairman of CIS-Stat Global Strategy Mid-Term Conference FAO, Rome June 23-25, 2015

Outline 1. Bases for implementing the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics in the CIS region 2. Objectives and principles 3. Action plan to implement the Global strategy in the CIS region 4. Project governance 5. Financing 6. Work in progress 7. Prospects 8. Cooperation with FAO 2

Bases for implementing GS in the CIS region 3 The implementation of the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics in the CIS region is conducted as a special regional project. The CIS Economic Council – an intergovernmental body responsible for cooperation in the economic and social spheres in the CIS region. Deputy Prime Ministers of CIS countries are members of this Council. The CIS Economic Council recommended to undertake this project in the CIS region (Resolution of ).

Objectives and principles (1/2) 4 The implementation of the Global Strategy in the CIS region is intended : - to support the setting up of an optimal system of indicators for agricultural and rural statistics in accordance with modern methodological standards, and - to ensure harmonization of the statistics of CIS countries with the global system of agricultural and rural statistics. A key principle is equal participation of all countries of the region: all CIS countries shall be equally involved in all the activities, without excluding any country or group of countries. The implementation of the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics in the CIS region shall rely on the openness of the project: any national and international organizations are welcome to participate.

Objectives and principles (2/2) 5 Specific objectives of the Strategy implementation : - strengthening the capacity (knowledge and practical experience) of staff of the national statistical offices through providing consulting services; - harmonizing the methodology for producing agricultural and rural statistics in compliance with international standards and recommendations; - expanding the system of indicators of agricultural and rural statistics in order to provide users with necessary data for comprehensive analyses in the areas of agricultural and rural statistics; - improving cooperation between national statistical offices and ministries of agriculture and other interested agencies; - further integrating agricultural statistics into national statistical systems.

The GS Implementation Plan in the CIS region 6 Implementation Plan of the Global Strategy in the CIS region was developed by CIS-Stat jointly with FAO consultants. The Plan was endorsed by the CIS Regional Steering Committee, and then by the Global Steering Committee on its 11 th meeting.

Project governance 7 Governance of the implementation of the Global Strategy in the CIS region corresponds with the general governance of the Global Strategy. Regional Steering Committee – Council of Heads of Statistical Services of the CIS Countries. Regional Coordinating Agency – CIS-Stat. Regional Office – a working group led by the Project coordinator is established within the CIS-Stat. There is a Scientific Council at the CIS-Stat; it includes researchers and statisticians. Council’s main objective is to support development of statistics’ methodology. In the GS implementation, the Council acts as a consulting body on the methodology of agricultural and rural statistics in the CIS region.

Financing 8 A substantial part of work on the implementation of the Global Strategy in the CIS region is funded by the CIS-Stat. However project implementation will be impossible without external co-financing. The needed external co-financing for the fulfillment of the CIS Region Implementation Plan has been estimated by FAO experts at USD 4.9 million The World Bank provided a grant to CIS-Stat in the amount of USD 490 thousands, which has been of critical importance to the CIS region. This grant enabled the launch of activities in the region in accordance with the objectives of the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics. Currently this grant is the only source of external co-financing for implementation of the Global Strategy in the CIS region.

Work in progress (1/5) 9 In the situation of insufficient funds, the Plan for implementing the Global Strategy in the CIS region currently is being implemented only to the extent made possible by use of the World Bank grant. With support from the FAO Regional Office, on February 4-5, 2015, in Budapest, a meeting of representatives of the national statistical offices of CIS countries was held, where decisions on the work priorities and work organization were made taking into account available financing.

Work in progress (2/5) 10 Minimum set of core data is one of the main target outcomes of the Project. Currently the work is being done on developing the methodology for determining a minimum set of core data that is a list of data elements of agricultural and rural statistics most important to interested users, to ensure markets work efficiently, and sound investments for economic growth are made. Compilation of the statistical information according to the indicators from the minimum set of each country, according to the common methodology agreed by countries, will ensure data comparability across countries and expand existing information resources both within countries and at international level.

Work in progress (3/5) 11 In 2015, the following methodological documents are being prepared: - Recommendations for national statistical offices of CIS countries in the field of agricultural and rural statistics based on the a review of international standards used by statistical offices around the world; - Conversion keys for the main indicators of agricultural and rural statistics in CIS countries in accordance with a system of indicators used by FAO. - Methodological recommendations for compiling the system of agricultural producer price indices under conditions of seasonal production and utilization (processing).

Work in progress (4/5) 12 In 2016 it is planned to prepare: - Methodological recommendations for organizing the sample statistical survey of agricultural activities of small farmers, peasant farms, and household plot holders - Methodological recommendations for calculating the value of output, intermediate consumption, and agricultural production index.

Work in progress (5/5) 13 Currently the Meeting of specialists from NSOs of CIS countries to be held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on October 13-15, 2015, is being prepared. This meeting will deal with reviewing indicators, data requirements, and data sources determined in the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics. Advocacy: On the official website of CIS-Stat there is a section “Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics in the CIS region” where detailed information on the progress of the implementation of the Global strategy in the CIS region is made available through open access.

Prospects (1/3) 14 The full-scale work on the Implementation Plan for the Global strategy in the CIS region crucially depends on the prospects of receiving further co-financing.

Prospects (2/3) 15 Currently, the lack of financing impedes work in such areas as: 1. Producing more detailed information on the situation with agricultural and rural statistical systems in the CIS region. Preparation of a set of indicators and data requirements with indicated data sources is envisaged within the Implementation plan for the Global strategy in the CIS region. 2. Developing methodological links between agricultural statistics and other domains of statistics, such as System of National Accounts, price statistics, financial statistics, demographic and social statistics, environmental statistics, structural surveys and censuses, etc. 3. Establishing and strengthening coordination between various agencies of CIS countries that produce agricultural statistics.

Prospects (3/3) A specific research program - development and dissemination of advanced and efficient methodologies, tools, and standards that will be adopted by national statistical offices to ensure efficient collection of reliable agricultural statistical data. 5. Training on the use of new technologies for collecting or capturing data (PDAs, tablets, remote sensing), managing geo-referenced data (GIS), and disseminating data. 6. Creation and maintaining sustainability of regional/sub-regional training centers which will develop high quality training courses on agricultural and rural statistics and provide professional training (continued education) for the staff of statistical offices.

We highly appreciate the very productive support by FAO, and the Global Office which we receive in our work on the implementation of the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics in the CIS region 17 Cooperation with FAO

Thank you! 18