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Strengthening Food and Agricultural Statistics to Reduce Rural Poverty in Africa

This presentation by Hans Binswanger discusses the importance of focusing on food and agricultural statistics in Africa to reduce rural poverty. It highlights the technical and institutional challenges, new opportunities, and actions taken so far. The presentation proposes a new approach to building capacity for agricultural and food statistics in Africa and outlines the next steps.

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Strengthening Food and Agricultural Statistics to Reduce Rural Poverty in Africa

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  1. 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. 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 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 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 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 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 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 Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

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

  9. 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 Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

  10. 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 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 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 Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

  13. 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 Building Capacity for Agricultural and Food Statistics in Africa

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