Integrating Agricultural Statistics into National Strategies for Development (NSDS)

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

2. Outline • Introduction • NSDS and its Processes • Integration of Sectoral Statistics into NSDS • Conclusions

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 Slide 3

4. I. Introduction

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

6. Managing for results • 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

7. statistics is not only a technical issueBUT 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

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

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

10. Statistics in developing countries Various assessments Results Slide 10

11. Many countries face the twin problem of inadequate data demand and supply High Demand II “Data Supply-constrained countries” IV “Virtuous Circle countries” Poor Quality Good Quality I “Vicious Circle countries” III “Data Demand-constrained countries” Low Demand Slide 11

12. 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

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

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

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

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

17. 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 People are the poorer Slide 17

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 18

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: • Mainstream strategic planning of statistical systems and help all low-income countries prepare national statistical development strategies by 2006 • Strengthen preparation for 2010 census • Increased financial support for statistical capacity building • Set up an international household survey network. • Undertake urgent improvements needed for MDG monitoring for 2005 • Increase accountability of the international statistical system Slide 19

20. II. NSDS and its processes Slide 20

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 Slide 21

22. 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

23. 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

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

25. III. Integration of sectoral statistics into NSDS Slide 25

26. 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

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

28. Assessment of state of sectoral data Slide 28

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32. Resulting NSDS will: • 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 Slide 32

33. Critical success factors • 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) Slide 33

34. 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

35. Thank you! African Centre for Statistics Visit us at http://www.uneca.org/statistics/