Download Overview of work in Pacific Countries and experience in other Asian countries

Overview of work in Pacific Countries
and experience in other Asian Countries
Allan Nicholls
Regional Coordinator of the Global Strategy in the Asia-Pacific Region
5 October 2015
Workshop on Strategic Planning for Agricultural and Fisheries Statistics for the Pacific
Island Countries
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Presentation Outline
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Implementation Strategy in Asia Pacific
Summary of Main Steps for Technical Assistance
Progress in Pacific countries
General Findings
Conclusions
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Implementation Strategy in Asia Pacific
• For all countries
– Pilot Country Assessment
• For 20 Selected Countries
– National Governance Mechanisms set up
– Roadmap for SPARS development agreed
– In-depth Capacity Assessment
– Short-term Country Proposal paper
– Technical Assistance on specific activities
– Long-term Strategic Plan (SPARS)
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Summary of Main Steps
• Pilot Country Assessment
– Conducted in 2011-12 using a pilot questionnaire mailed out to 51 countries
– Self completed, but only 50% of Pacific countries responded (75% overall in Asia
Pacific)
– Minimal follow-up
– Insufficient data to report on the “Resources” indicator
– Output is a Capacity Indicator Report
– Subsequent to this exercise
• The questionnaire has been modified and simplified where possible
• Instructions for completing the questionnaire have been improved
• Indicator derivation has since been refined
• National Governance Mechanisms
– Well advanced in 12 countries, and started in 2 others
– Critical to guide implementation and to encourage coordination
– High-level Steering Committee to oversee all GS related work
• May be institutionalised after GS
– Technical Working Group
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Summary of Main Steps, ctd
• Roadmap for SPARS development
– Completed in 5 countries, well advanced in 7 others
– Agreed plan for work required to develop SPARS
– Output is the Roadmap
• In-depth Country Assessment (IdCA)
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Completed in 7 countries, well advanced in 4 others
Comprehensive assessment of a range of aspects of statistical capacity
Identification of areas needing improvement
Output is an IdCA report endorsed by government
• Country Proposal paper
– Completed in 6 countries, well advanced in 5 others
– Based on IdCA information
– Prioritized list of short-term activities needed to improve agricultural and rural
statistics
– For each activity, objectives, outcomes, tasks and costs are described
– Output is a Country Proposal paper endorsed by government
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Summary of Main Steps, ctd
• Specific Technical Assistance
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Well advanced in 4 countries
For activities identified in Country Proposal paper
GS can fund some of these activities
Other FAO funds may also be available
Donor support may be needed
Common areas requiring technical assistance (for each area,
different types of assistance required depending on current methods)
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Improvements to the way crop statistics are produced
Improvements to the way livestock statistics are produced
Improvements to administrative systems
Capacity building (skills of staff)
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Summary of Main Steps, ctd
• Strategic Plan for Agricultural and Rural Statistics
(SPARS)
– Started in 6 countries
– A long term (10 year) strategy document
– A key output from the Global Strategy
– Intended to be compatible with
• national strategies for the development of statistics, and
• national development plans
– Output is a Strategic Plan endorsed by government
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Progress in Pacific Countries - Samoa
• IdCA and Country Proposal paper were both endorsed
by government in November 2014
• FAO provided TCP funding to undertake most activities
identified in country proposal paper, well advanced
• SPARS is in development stage
• Key issues
– Lack of regular agricultural data collections, largely due to
lack of funding
– Need for capacity building
– Coordination between MoA and SBS is improving
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Progress in Pacific Countries - Fiji
• IdCA and Country Proposal paper were recently
revised to take into account new collection
activities within the Ministry of Agriculture
• SPARS is in development stage, no NSDS in Fiji
• Key issues
– General lack of availability of quality agricultural data
– Extension officer program has the potential to collect
regular high quality data on ag production
– No up-to-date survey frame
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Progress in Pacific Countries - PNG
• First mission has just been completed
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General Findings (Country level)
• Coordination is not always good
– Between NSO and Ministries
– Within a Ministry
– Nature of GS consultative process has improved the situation
• Administrative data deficiencies
– Wide range of issues affecting quality
– Specific activity in some countries to address this aspect
• Surveys not on a probability basis
– Specific activity in some countries to address this aspect
• Lack of qualified statistical staff
– GS process will help identify specific training needs
• Insufficient budget – need to
– Adopt more efficient collection methodologies
– Rationalise use of scarce skilled resources
– Coordinate data collection activities
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Conclusions (Country Level)
• Involvement of all stakeholders is critical
• Involvement of donors is important
• Flexibility is needed to adapt the process to suit
the situation in different countries
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Thank you
Contact us
Email: [email protected]
FAO website: www.fao.org
Global Strategy website: www.gsars.org
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