1. An Action Plan for Africa (2011-2012)
Improving Statistics for Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development
An Action Plan for Africa ( )
Third Meeting of the Statistical Commission for Africa (StatCom Africa -III) Jan 18-23, 2012; Cape Town
Statistical Capacity Building Division
Statistics Department
Chief Economist Complex
African Development Bank

2. Contents General background Global Strategy
Action Plan for Africa (AP-Africa)
Governance mechanism for the AP-Africa
Technical Assistance component for AP-Africa
Country Assessment for the AP-Africa
Where we are?
Expectations from StatCom-Africa III 2

3. 1. General background Recent years witnessed unprecedented increase in
demand for statistics in developing countries
new focus on managing for development results
(MfDR) (nationally & internationally)
poverty reduction strategies (PRSs)
MDGs
other development programmes (sectoral)
New and emerging policy issues – environment and climate change, gender, biofuels, etc.
Declining quantity and quality of agricultural statistics in developing countries 3

4. Challenges Organization challenges Institutional Technical
Inadequate resources
Lack of enabling infrastructure
Methodological challenges
Institutional
Legislation
Poor or lack of coordination
Lack of integrated system (piece meal approach)
Technical
Methodological

5. 2. Global Strategy for Improving Stat for Food Security, Sustainable Agric & Rural Development
Endorsement:
February 2010 by the United Nations Statistical Commission.
Purpose:
Providing a framework and methodology that will lead to improvements in the availability and quality of national and international food and agricultural statistics, to guide policy analysis and decision-making in the 21st century.
Expected main result:
“good statistics” – comprehensive, relevant, accurate, consistent & timely to illuminate above issues.

6. The three pillars:
- Establishment of a minimum set of core
data;
- Integration of agriculture into NSS: Master
sample frame for agriculture, Integrated
survey framework and Data management
system;
- Foundation providing the sustainability of
the agricultural statistics system: governance
& and statistical capacity building.
Components:
- Technical Assistance;
- Training;
- Research.
+ Governance Mechanism

7. 3. Action Plan for Africa (2011-2015 Development process and implementation agencies
Developed since 2010 (by AfDB, ECA, FAO & AUC) and published in May 2011.
Shared and discussed with key stakeholders at several foras
Co-signed by the Executive Chiefs of FAO, AfDB, ECA, AUC.
Africa is the first region to develop the Global Strategy.
Implementing agencies:
AfDB: TA, including Governance mechanism
FAO: Research
ECA: Training.

8. Identified key stakeholders
Main beneficiaries: African countries.
Leading Implementation agencies: AfDB, ECA and FAO.
Other African Institutions: AU, RECs and SROs mainly (AFRISTAT, Regional Statistical Training Centres), etc.
Existing structures: StatCom-Africa CoDGs, ASCC, AFCAS, NEPAD, NASCCs, etc.
Development partners: Contributing donors
Others: UN system, Civil society organizations, Private sector, etc. 8

9. 4. Governance mechanism for AP-Africa
Goal
To establish institutional framework and coordination arrangements aimed at defining linkages between processes and structures 9

10. Expected key outcomes
Minimum set of core agricultural statistics produced annually and disseminated to users (national & international)
Legal provisions for agricultural statistics aligned with other provisions (National Statistical legislation)
Appropriate structures for coordinating strategy implementation at regional and national levels
Appropriate structures for integrating agriculture into the National Statistical System
Resources are mobilized and allocated
These complement outcomes from other components. 10

11. Ensuring success Stakeholder ownership of the system, and commitment
Use of existing structures - StatCom-Africa, CoDGs, ASCC, AFCAS, RECs/SROs, NASCs
Mainstreaming statistics in sector plans and programs
Phased approach (doing by learning from lessons )
Year 1: 12 countries; Year 2: 24 countries
Year 3: 36 countries ; Year 4: 48 Countries
Year 5: Countries
Accountability - Monitoring & reporting at every level
Donor support - Opportunities at country and regional level. 11

12. Governance structure of the AP for Africa
StatCom-Africa & AFCAS
Regional Steering Committee
(Executive Committee)
Regional Implementation
Secretariat (at AfDB)
National Agricultural Statistics Committee
National Strategy Coordinator
(Within NSS)
ECA (Regional Strategy Leader on Training)
LEGEND
Vertical relationship
Horizontal relationship
Integral Part
For Information
Policy Bodies
Operational structures
Structures to be kept in the loop
FAO (Regional Strategy Leader on Research)
AfDB (Regional Strategy Leader on Technical Assistance)
RECs/SROs
NEPAD
CoDGs
National Technical Working Group
Global Implementation Office 12 12

13. National Technical Working Group on Agricultural Statistics
National Agricultural Statistics Committee
Sub-sector 1: Crops Stat.
Sub-sector 2: Livestock Stat.
Sub-sector 3: Fishery Stat.
Sub-sector 4: Forestry, Land/Water use Stat.
Sub-sector 5: Prices, HHBS, Nutrition, etc.
National Strategy Coordonnateur

14. National Agricultural Statistics Committee
Responsibility:
Oversee the development of the National Agricultural
Statistical System
National Strategy Coordinator (NSC)
lead agency – MoA or NSO- designate NSC
coordinate administrative and technical work
work closely with Regional Strategy Coordinator,
NSDS coordinator, etc. 14

15. 5. Technical Assistance component for AP-Africa
Elements of the TA Component:
Design Sector Strategic Plans for Agricultural Statistics (SSPAS) in the context of NSDS
Development of institutional and organizational capacities
Development and harmonization of data sources, and
Data harmonization and management

16. Models for delivering TA
Approach:
Grouping and selecting countries according to their level of development of agricultural statistics (based on their capacities and needs)
Prioritization of activities: To be built based on the results obtained from the assessment of country needs and capacity
Phased approach = Doing by learning
Slide 16

17. Models for delivering TA (Ctd)
Leveraging existing structures: Using existing structures at regional and sub-regional levels + National level
Harnessing regional capacities (Re South-South Cooperation)
Partnership in the implementation
Using international experts
Slide 17

18. 6. Statistical country assessment 6.1. Preliminary country assessment

19. 6.2 Grouping countries
Group A Group B Group C Group D
Slide 19

20. 6.3. Why a Country Assessment?
To determine the appropriate level of agricultural statistical development of the countries.
Result
Complete assessment of the statistical needs and capabilities
Leading to
Appropriate country grouping
Updated baseline information for the M&E system
Action Plans + Integration of agric. statistics into the overall NSDS.
Prioritization of activities according to country actual needs
Better allocation if resources according to actual country needs

21. 6.4. Overview of the Country Assessment Questionnaire
Module I: Overview of the National Statistical System
Section 1 – Institutional environment
Section 2 – Core date availability
Module II: Ongoing statistical activities and constraints
Section 1: Main statistical activities
Section 2: Critical constraints in agriculture statistics system
Module III: Information on sub-sectors of agriculture
Section 1: Main statistical activities of the sub-sectors

22. 7. Where we are? 7.1 Achievement
Action Plan: Available both in English & French
Appointment of Coordinator of Action Plan
1st RSTC meeting: July 2011
Resources mobilization: initial discussions with donors meeting in Rome (Oct 2011)
Country Assessment: Instrument field testing completed, Questionnaire finalized (being translated)
January 2011: Launch of Quarterly Action Plan Bulletins
On-going work: Printing French version of the AP doc; Country assessment: guidelines, Tabulation/analysis plans, database development/web-based system, etc. 22

23. Development of national action plans
7.2. Next step
Training workshop and launching of Country Assessment (Data collection, processing and analysis; Country profiles/ranking/ grouping)
In-depth assessment,
Development of national action plans
Establishment of M&E baseline information.
Integration of the Agric. Stats in the NSDS; etc. 23

24. 8. Expectations from Stat-Com
Endorsement of the Action Plan
Region Member Countries:
-> Ownership of the Action Plan 2011
-> Set up the national governance mechanism and appointment of the National Strategy Coordinator,
NASC, and TWG 24

25. Thank you 25