African Centre for Statistics United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Integrating Agricultural Statistics into National Strategies for the Development of Statistics (NSDS) Ben Kiregyera Director African Centre for Statistics 4 th ICAS, Beijing, China 22 – 24 October

Outline Slide 2 I.Introduction II.NSDS and its Processes III.Integration of Sectoral Statistics into NSDS IV.Conclusions

Slide 3 Motivation Issues which have come up during this conference:  organizational issues (including, mandates, coordination, etc)  institutional issues (including infrastructure, funding, HR, capacity building, etc)  data-related issues (data sources, data collection methodologies, data management including dissemination) Many of these issues are best handled as part of broader frameworks and initiatives e.g. National Strategy for the development of Statistics

I. Introduction

 Last 40 years or so pressure on governments around world for greater transparency & accountability in use of public resources This led to emergency of different public sector management approaches  1960s approach: Emphasis on financial planning & cost accounting  1970s & 1980s approach: Emphasis on management - by- activity  From mid-1980s: Management - by - objectives  From 1990s: Emphasis on managing for results with a focus on achieving outcomes - defined as medium term effects or results of development intervention (OECD) Public management approaches Slide 5

 Managing for results has evolved as a global effort among both national governments and development agencies to:  reduce poverty (headline MDG goal)  support sustainable and equitable economic growth  better define and systematically measure development outcomes  report on achievements of outcomes and impact of polices and programmmes Slide 6 Managing for results

 statistics is not only a technical issue BUT also a development issue  results agenda requires that: data producers understand and talk more and more about development policies and issues & policy and decision-makers understand and talk more and more about statistics all in pursuit of development outcomes Slide 7

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” or “That which gets measured gets done” Slide 8  Managing for results is “data intensive”

Policy Research & Research Agenda Needs Sectoral Policies & Programmes Democracy and Good Governance Gender HIV/AIDS Surveillance Agriculture Education Health etc… Human Rights and Freedom Macroeconomic framework Energy and Environment New challenges  Some current data needs Slide 9

Various assessmentsResults Statistics in developing countries Slide 10

IV“VirtuousCirclecountries” LowDemand HighDemand GoodQuality II“DataSupply-constrainedcountries” I“ViciousCirclecountries”III“Data Demand- constrained countries” PoorQuality  Many countries face the twin problem of inadequate data demand and supply Slide 11

 Characteristics of statistical under-development  Inadequate statistical awareness/literacy  inadequate links of statistical systems to policy processes  lack of statistical plans (or vicious statistical plans which are NSO-centric, typical handwork of statisticians)  lack of coordination (next slide)  weaknesses in statistical capacity  data gaps on some key demographic, socio-economic and environmental indicators  unreliability of some existing data  inadequate use of existing data – challenge of data use  unsustainability of statistical systems Slide 12

Labour Education Transport etc Agriculture Health NSO Uncoordinated National Statistical System Slide 13

Labour Education Transport etc Agriculture Health NSO Partially coordinated National Statistical System Slide 14

Fully coordinated National Statistical System Labour Education Transport etc Agriculture Health NSO Slide 15

Irony: Countries that need statistics most are the ones that purportedly are least able to afford them Slide 16

 Consequences of the said statistical under- development:  policy & decision-making have suffered  proper allocation and targeting of resources and programmes has been hampered  citizens have not been enabled to make informed choices  governments have not been held to account for their decisions Slide 17 People are the poorer

Slide 18  PARIS21 and partners have been making the case for countries and partners to invest in statistical development:  statistics are a public good and part of the development infrastructure  investment in statistics pays for itself many times over by improving how resources are allocated  Various roundtables on managing for results have identified statistics as a priority for the results agenda  Marrakech Roundtable (2004) adopted the Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics (MAPS) to improve national and international statistics

Slide 19 Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics  builds on existing initiatives and experiences  sets out 6 sets of actions needed to improve statistics at national and international: 1.Mainstream strategic planning of statistical systems and help all low-income countries prepare national statistical development strategies by Strengthen preparation for 2010 census 3.Increased financial support for statistical capacity building 4.Set up an international household survey network. 5.Undertake urgent improvements needed for MDG monitoring for Increase accountability of the international statistical system

II. NSDS and its processes Slide 20

Slide 21 National Strategy for the Development of Statistics  to strengthen statistical capacity across the entire National Statistical System  A medium to long-term vision for SCB responding to key user needs  A robust, comprehensive and coherent framework to: address data limitations mobilize & prioritise the use of resources integrate statistics within national policy, planning & budget processes System-wide national strategy and plan of action A catalyst for change to build confidence

 Importance of the process as important as the strategy facilitate statistical advocacy mainstream key stakeholders i.e should:  be participatory  be inclusive  use a concensus-building approach Plans that are country-specific and country- owned Ownership leads to more commitment, creativity, imagination, innovation and productivity. participation and ownership are essential for successful strategic management and the key to the success of any development strategy Slide 22

process presupposes that we are aiming to build a truly integrated National Statistical System process should be based on NSDS principles developed by PARIS21 and partners Guide on Design of NSDS published by PARIS21 (2004) Some Issues in the Design and Implementation of NSDS by PARIS21 (2006) Guide on Integrating Sectoral Statistics in the Design of NSDS (AfDB, PARIS21 and Intersect) Slide 23

1.WHERE ARE WE NOW? Current situation 1.WHERE ARE WE NOW? Current situation 2. WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? Mission/vision 2. WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE? Mission/vision 3. HOW DO WE GET THERE? Strategies/Actions 3. HOW DO WE GET THERE? Strategies/Actions 4. HOW DO WE STAY THERE? Sustainability 4. HOW DO WE STAY THERE? Sustainability Statistical capacity  Methodology Slide 24

III. Integration of sectoral statistics into NSDS Slide 25

Rationale for integration  a lot of development data are collected/compiled by sectors Agriculture Health Education ************ Labour  sectoral issues and concerns not been given sufficient attention in national statistics  statisticians from line ministries been largely isolated & inadequately involved in discussion on capacity building  sectoral component of NSS tended to be under-resourced & is in need of more voice in sectors and in NSS Slide 26

Bottom-up approach NSDS SSPS (Agric) SSPS – Sector Strategic Plan for Statistics SSPS (Health) SSPS (Edn. ) Slide 27

Using Health Matrix Network Framework Resources Policies; Financial resources; Human resources; Communication; Coordination and leadership IndicatorsMinimum set of indicators Data sourcesTypes of data sources and standards Data management Data definition; flow; quality; storage; linkage Information products Users requirements; analysis; presentation Dissemination and use Infrastructure; synthesis; packaging; communication Assessment of state of sectoral data Slide 28

Components Framework applies to all sectors AgricultureEducationLabourHealthetc Resources Policies; Financial resources; Human resources; Communication; Coordination and leadership IndicatorsMinimum set of indicators Data sourcesTypes of data sources and standards Data managementData definition; flow; quality; storage; linkage Information products Users requirements; analysis; presentation Dissemination and use Infrastructure; synthesis; packaging; communication Slide 29

Sectors Cross-sectoral requirements Agriculture EducationLabourHealthetc Agriculture Decisions made in this sector that require data from other sectors:  What data/indicators?  Which sectors?  What products? Data that are or should be shared with other sectors?  What data/indicators?  Which sectors?  What products? Education Labour Health etc Slide 30

Component Opportunities to coordinate Agriculture EducationLabourHealthetc Resources Harmonize policies and budgets Coordinate training/allocation of human resources Build communities of practice Rationalize the use of information technology IndicatorsIdentify and standardize common indicators Data sourcesSynchronize surveys and routine data collection Data management Link data dictionaries and warehouses Build consistent data quality Coordinate data transmission Information products Analyze and present data across sectors Synchronize reports for the same users Dissemination and use Advocate with one voice Coordinate evaluation across sectors Slide 31

Slide 32  include a synthesis of sector plans  buy-in by sectors  ownership – one of prerequisites for effective implementation “People support what they help to create”  promote policies that lead to greater harmonization across sectors during the course of the plan implementation  lead to coordination of all statistical functions across organizations and sectors Resulting NSDS will:

 Strategic leadership and management (strategic insight)  NSDS not just one of the statistical activities  Statistical reform (not cosmetic)  Managing change “It’s not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change”, Charles Darwin – father of evolution theory  Process (participatory, continuity, empowering, involve development partners from start)  Coverage of all sectors  Cultivate “Champions” and “Missionaries”  Partnerships (nationally, regionally & Internationally) Critical success factors Slide 33

IV. Conclusions  Managing for results has increased exponentially demand for data  In many countries, national statistical systems caught up in a vicious circle of under- development and under-performance  Poor countries have been urged to develop NSDS  The NSDS should be designed in such a way as to integrate sectoral issues and concerns  Best achieved using a bottom-up approach Slide 34

Thank you! African Centre for Statistics Visit us at Slide 35