FAO Successfully Concludes AGPROD Training in Lesotho

In the final quarter of 2023, The Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSARS) completed an essential capacity-building mission in Lesotho, running from September 18th to October 7th, for the fieldwork preparation and the pilot data collection.

The previous mission held in Mars 2023 was to deliver training on the AGPROD questionnaire content to be customized according to the country's context.   The mission of September provided comprehensive AGPROD methodology training and introduced Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) techniques using statistical software. 

Guided by experts NAYO Ankouvi Mawoudoudji with the support of the GSARS Global office and FAO-Lesotho team, participants from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) and the Bureau of Statistics (B`OS) engaged in this critical training. The mission aimed to finalize the CAPI application for the AGPROD pilot survey and strengthen local agricultural data collection capabilities. 

Participants benefited from hands-on training and engaged in essential discussions about the questionnaire content and field operations for the AGPROD pilot survey. These discussions ensured the survey tools were technically robust, culturally relevant, and accessible for enumerators. 

The mission concluded in the successful launch of the AGPROD pilot survey across four distinct agro-ecological zones, covering 160 households and promising invaluable insights into Lesotho's agricultural practices. 

Neli Georgieva provided essential guidance and administrative and logistical support. She commended the dedication of all participants and highlighted the importance of ongoing training and support to maintain this mission's momentum. 

This workshop, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the European Union, would not have been possible without the collaboration and efforts of the Lesotho FAO office. Their commitment to continuous training and development paves the way for future workshops and sustainable agricultural data management in Lesotho.