1 BRIEF SUMMARY OF COUNTRY ASSESSMENT Hiek Som FAO Statistics Division

2 Sources and major findings of the Statistical Capacity Study Review by FAO Statistics Units Independent evaluation of FAO’s role and work in statistics, in 2008 Review by other institutions, e.g. PARIS21, Michigan University Findings: – quantity and quality of data from national official sources are on steady decline after early 1980 – Causes: weak institutional capacity in many countries as a result of lower priority by donors and govts for stat. work

3 NATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK Centralized: Majority of Asian countries, and if decentralized strong coordination; Europe Decentralized: MoA or specialized agencies in agriculture, fishery, forestry or water responsible for sub-sector statistics; 60% of African countries, predominance in North africa, Near East and some Central Asian countries. Mixed in North and Latin America Issue: Lack of coordination if decentralized

4 AGRICULTURE IN NSDS Few countries have incorporated agriculture in NSDS Separate presentation on the subject

5 POPULATION AND AGRICULTURAL CENSUSES Limited number of countries have included data items on agriculture in their population census questionnaire FAO and UNSD have recommended that countries coordinate better their population and agricultural census for 2010 round Number of countries participating in WCA has trended upward over the decades: 81 in WCA 1950; 103 in WCA 1980; 124 countries in WCA 2000; 71 has plans for ag. census so far in WCA 2010.

6 SURVEYS AND SAMPLING FRAME Countries use list frames from different sources Area frame is not widely used by developing countries, except the Americas Most countries lack integrated master sampling frame with linkages agric survey units and household survey units Annual agric. production surveys by MoA or NSO, but issues remain for root or mixed crops Households surveys have widened to MDG indicators

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8 CAPACITY AND AVAILABILITY OF FISHERY AND AQUACULTURE STATISTICS When fisheries are managed based on scientific stock assessment, good capacity for monitoring catch and effort but not for socio-economic data Issues: freshwater fisheries, small scale fisheries and aquaculture 90% of countries with fisheries and aquaculture report some production data, but only 40-60% report fishing vessels, trade and disposition of fish production Strategy for improving information on status and trends of capture fisheries was adopted in 2004; for aquaculture in 2007

9 CAPACITY AND AVAILABILITY OF FORESTRY STATICS Developed countries have detailed forest monitoring systems on tree resources & yield, but limited for other forest goods & services Very few developing countries have nat. forest monitoring systems (some in 1970s and 1980s with external funding) Responses to Joint FAO/ITTO/EUROSTAT questionnaire: 50% in 2008 representing 80% of global production; 25% for Africa, 40% for Asia Global Forest Resources assessments, with extra-budgetary funding: Responses for FRA 2005 was 75%; South America 100%, Asia 83%, Europe 79%, Africa 76% Issues; non-wood forest products, species composition, employment, assessments based on very old data, even from remote sensing which on average is from 1988 in Africa

10 WATER AND LAND DEGRADATION STATISTICS FAO does detailed continental- regional updates every 5-10 years, based on 75 variables: quality varies, but mostly below standard Land degradation assessment being done on pilot basis

11 DISSEMINATION 90% of countries produce statistical yearbooks, with 75-80% able to produce agricultural yearbooks Website in most countries, and a few now have CountrySTAT

12 THANK YOU