GSARS-II Workshop Advances Strategic Agricultural Statistics Planning in Togo

The Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics Phase 2 (GSARS-II) has successfully concluded a training workshop in Togo. Led by expert trainer Edgard Yves DIDAVI, the training focused on the advancement of strategic planning for agricultural and rural statistics (SPARS). This collaborative initiative aims to develop a coordinated system of agricultural statistics to meet the country's agricultural information needs. 

The recent workshop focused on updating Togo’s Strategic Plan for Agricultural and Rural Statistics Development (SPARS), which is pivotal for crafting a coherent statistical framework that addresses the country's needs for agricultural information and aligning it with national development strategies and international norms, thus ensuring reliable, timely, and accessible agricultural data for all stakeholders. 

Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, national CAADP focal points, and various line ministries. 

The SPARS aims to fortify the production and use of agricultural statistics, which is essential for evidence-based policymaking and strategic agricultural investments. 

The workshop's objectives included revising strategic goals for the sector and proposing an updated vision and mission of the country's first generation of SPARS. These efforts are expected to lead to the formulation of strategic orientations and action plans based on the evaluation results of SPARS_1. 

Key activities of the workshop included the presentation and amendment of the evaluation report of SPARS I, the updating of the mission, vision, and strategic axes , and the development of an activity schedule, encompassing a budget estimation. 

The mission was deemed successful and met the satisfaction of all participants. The next step will be the finalization of the revised SPARS document and its adoption during a national workshop.