1. Presentation by Hans Binswanger
Strengthening Food and Agricultural Statistics to Reduce Rural Poverty in Africa
Presentation by Hans Binswanger
on behalf of AFCAS, FAO, and the World Bank

2. Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa
Outline
Why focus on food and agricultural statistics and why now?
Technical and institutional challenges
New opportunities
What have we done so far?
A new approach to building capacity for agricultural and food statistics in Africa
Next steps
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

3. Why focus on agricultural and food statistics and why now?
Seventy percent of the poor live in rural areas; most depend on agric.
Agricultural growth is necessary for poverty reduction (but not sufficient)
Importance of backward, forward, and consumer-demand linkages
Importance of rural non-farm activities and rural-urban linkages
But growth has been very low
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

4. Why focus on agricultural and food statistics and why now?
PRSPs must include an agricultural growth and rural poverty reduction strategy
DAC goals include nutritional objectives
Monitoring and evaluation require appropriate data on agricultural/food production and food consumption
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

5. But there are technical challenges…
Rural people are widely dispersed
Conflict affects many areas
Complexity of the rural economy and rural livelihoods
Many technical measurement problems
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

6. …and systemic institutional problems
Food and Agr. Statistics (FAS) have been supply-driven
Existing data often not analyzed or used
Poor data quality and lack of analysis have led to low demand, limited budgets
FAS are not well integrated into national statistical systems; turf battles
Activities focus on ad-hoc requests from donors
Past investment and technical assistance has failed to produce sustainable systems
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

7. The PRSP process provides a new opportunity
Poverty reduction strategies are to be country-owned
Their preparation and monitoring place substantial demands upon data systems
Analysis of rural issues hampered by lack of data
But renewed interest by international community
PARIS21 provides the coordinating framework for strengthening of overall statistical capacity in Africa
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

8. Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa
Food and agricultural statistics must be improved, driven by the PRSP process as part of PARIS21
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

9. Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa
What have we done?
Held workshop in Conakry in June 1999 supported by FAO/USDA/WB
With both agricultural and central statisticians to reach consensus on linkages
Developed framework for capacity building proposal
Little implementation; lack of funding
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

10. Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa
The new proposal
Need to update proposal to take into account new environment
Fully in line with PARIS21 principles
Confirms agricultural/food statistics as a component of integrated national systems
Driven by PRSP demands and linked to policy process
Addresses national needs and conditions
Two components: (1) technical assistance/facilitation and (2) country action
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

11. Technical assistance/facilitation component
International coordinator (FAO)
Three sub-regional coordinators (in multi-donor Rural Development Hubs)
Technical assistance
Country facilitation, networking, research, evaluation
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

12. Country action component
Build a broad-based coalition involving all stakeholders
Emphasis on policy questions/demand through PRSP
Preparation of integrated plan for agricultural and food statistics
Consultation with donors
Funding and implementation
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

13. Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa
Next steps
We will incorporate PARIS21 feedback
Would like to see Trust Fund established
Will present proposal and feedback to Workshop of African Agr. Statisticians and AFCAS in November 2001
13 October 2018
Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa