Improving Agricultural Statistics in the COMCEC Region
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STRENGTHS
Definition Criteria
Characteristics within the national
agricultural statistics system with
positive attributes that could
potentially create opportunities for
multiple stakeholders.
- Organization
o Structures, roles, responsibilities,
o Policies,
o Plans,
o Procedures,
o Common Standards.
- Resources
o Yearly budget allocation for periodical data collection
activities (crop surveys & collection of administrative
records, etc.)
o Use of modern ICT equipment,
o Databases for internal use and data storage,
o International funding for projects.
- Methodology
o High quality of human resources,
o Awareness of international methodologies, standards and
classifications,
o Use of up-to-date methodologies, definitions and
classifications,
o Use of new technologies such as Remote Sensing and GIS for
estimations,
o Long experience in traditional domains (area, production,
yield, input, prices, trade etc.),
o Good documentation and institutional memory,
o Receiving support for use of new methodologies, norms and
classifications,
o Participation in international statistical initiatives.
- Output/Availability/Timeliness
o Interactive databases for dissemination,
o Appropriate metadata,
o Micro-data availability.
The SWOT analysis conducted involves two steps. The first step is to identify the external
factors (opportunities and threats) and the internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) of the
Agricultural Statistical Systems of the countries for which case studies are implemented. The
second step involves an expert analysis of the findings.
For ease of comparison with the findings of IASD, the 4 components of the SWOT tables are
also classified under six dimensions (of which three, i.e. output, availability and timeliness, are
grouped as one) of the IASD. This way it would be possible to compare the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the agricultural statistics systems subjectively as
seen by the stakeholders and objectively with the results of the IASD analysis.
The SWOT analysis conducted in the case study countries showed that the main weakness of
the agricultural statistics systems in COMCEC Member Countries were stated as poor
organization, lack of resources and scope of statistics. Existence of a legal base, regular budget
allocations, well-qualified staff, awareness of the issues, openness to international
collaboration were stated as the strengths. As far as threats are concerned, the main points
relate to countries’ political instability, political pressure on statistics, lack of interest in
statistics, size of informal sectors, and lack of coordination. Finally the individuals who were
part of the case studies indicated that opportunities worth exploited relate to: remote sensing
and GIS technology, CountrySTAT, increasing donor support, developments in information and