1. Using Food Balance Sheets and Supply Utilization Accounts in the analysis of agricultural development and food security
Piero Conforti
ESA

2. ESA users State of Food Insecurity in the World
Agriculture Towards 20XX
State of Food and Agriculture
many others, for specific analyses

3. high expectations hardly any comparable independent data source
detailed balanced items
large coverage (countries, products)
time consistency
agriculture and food security
user-friendly access (new website)

4. observable data issues
inconsistencies (e.g. negative consumption)
implausible feed i-o ratios
implausible year-to-year changes (in consumption, production, stocks)
large divergences from other data sources

5. observable data issues

6. observable data issues

7. observable data issues

8. observable data issues

9. observable data issues

10. observable data issues
India’s poultry production in 2007
FBS: 664 th tons
ProdStat livestock: 2313 th tons
OECD-FAO projections: 2315 th tons
Egypt undernourishment figures:
consistency with the incidence of poverty

11. observable data issues

12. observable data issues

13. observable data issues
could these be addressed with more:
consistency/plausibility checks
cross-checks with existing survey data
cross-checks with other data sources
an informal in-house consultation mechanism to decide on conflicting information

14. non-observable data issues
outdated or homogeneous conversion factors/extraction rates (processed products, calories, waste)
waste (farmgate-retail; hh level details)
data resulting from estimations and ad hoc computations

15. non-observable data issues
could these be addressed with more:
periodic updates of coefficients/conversion factors/extraction rates, through ad hoc studies; or regular checks with other technical Divisions
standardized estimation/interpolation procedures and criteria
cross-checks with existing survey data
cross-checks with other data sources

16. other issues some totals and aggregated items missing
number of products: please do not reduce!
timeliness: back to the old two-year cycle?
focal points: could they manage a two-way information flow?
internal pre-releases to check data?

17. to conclude FBS/SUA are a unique and valuable resource
it seems possible to address the issues highlighted
Ideas to consider:
more cross-checks
more exchanges with the rest of the house