Data and Statistical Standard Series
FAO works continuously to ensure that FAO's data and statistical production processes and data and statistical outputs are of the highest possible quality. The Technical Data Coordination Group is responsible for the Statistics and Data Quality Assurance Framework (SDQAF), adopted in 2014, and regularly produces data and statistical standards to ensure implementation of quality principles and harmonization of data and statistical standards at FAO’s corporate level.
The FAO Data and Statistical Standard Series covers topical issues for data and statistics, from data collection and data treatment, processing and analysis, to data dissemination and quality assurance. It provides statisticians and data officers with the guidance needed to ensure that timely and high-quality data and statistics are produced and disseminated.
FAO Statistics and Data Quality Assurance Framework
11/2023
As is the case for other international organizations, FAO’s statistics are mainly based on data supplied by national statistical agencies, other international organizations or other trustworthy sources. Consequently, their quality depends on the quality of the inputs received. This document provides an overall framework to ensure the quality of FAO’s statistical outputs and the soundness of the processes and governance mechanisms for their production.
Standards
Data collection and data sources
Handbook for questionnaire design
01/07/2020
FAO usually collects data from official secondary sources through standard questionnaires sent to national official focal points nominated by the relevant...
Questionnaire Design for Data Collection from National Institutions
01/12/2019
This document provides guidance on how to design a FAO questionnaire to collect statistical data from national authorities in spreadsheet format....
External data sources
15/11/2019
The statistical standard on external data sources identifies the statistical domains and corresponding agencies to be used as reference external data...
Data treatment, processing and analysis
Imputation
03/11/2023
The statistical standard on imputation provides guidance on the imputation procedures to address the problem of missing values and replace observed...
Data aggregation
19/12/2019
The statistical standard on data aggregation provides guidance and recommendations on the production of statistical aggregates (e.g. regional aggregates...
Data editing and validation
15/11/2019
The statistical standard on data editing and validation provides guidance on how to design and carry out checks on the data collected to identify potential...
Data dissemination
Metadata dissemination for FAO statistical databases
23/06/2023
The statistical standard on metadata dissemination for FAO statistical databases provides guidance to support standardization and harmonization of web...
Observation Status Code List
26/05/2023
This standard provides the list of recommended observation status codes (flags) to be used when disseminating FAO statistics to external data users....
Units of measure
18/05/2023
The document provides recommendations and procedures for the use of Units of Measures in data management and dissemination processes for all FAO statistical...
Microdata dissemination
19/01/2021
The statistical standard series on microdata dissemination outlines the processes and procedures for publishing micro datasets and related metadata...
Overall quality and statistical relevance
Quality indicators
03/11/2023
The statistical standard on quality indicators provides the list of recommended quality indicators to be disseminated to FAO external data users. It...
User consultation
01/04/2019
The statistical standard on user consultation includes the recommended methodology, and required indicators for undertaking a Public Database User Consultations....