Successful Conclusion of the GSARS II Regional Workshop in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

The Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSARS II) proudly hosted its second regional workshop from May 6 to May 8, 2024, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The workshop, themed "Strengthening Data Collection to Support Decision-Making in Agriculture," brought together participants from 27 participating African countries to enhance capacities in cost-effective data collection methods crucial for developing accurate agricultural statistics. 

Throughout the three-day event, participants engaged in vibrant discussions and knowledge exchange, focusing on the practical implementation of cost-effective data collection methods. The agenda included a mix of plenary sessions, country presentations, and practical group work. The event aimed to foster knowledge sharing, present successful innovations, develop actionable recommendations, and encourage networking and collaboration among the participating countries. 

On the first day, after the opening ceremony, FAO representatives presented the implementation progress of GSARS II in Africa, followed by country presentations from Lesotho, Zambia, Liberia, and Angola, showcasing their practices and evolution in agricultural surveys. Practical sessions were conducted on developing questionnaires and tabulation plans for agricultural production statistics, encouraging group work and interactive discussions. 

The second day focused on farm economic statistics, starting with a session on concepts, data collection, and indicators, followed by country presentations from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Benin, and Egypt. Participants then engaged in practical sessions to develop questionnaires and tabulation plans for farm economic statistics, culminating in group restitutions and Q&A sessions. 

The final day addressed agricultural loss statistics, with presentations on concepts, data collection, and indicators. Country experiences from Ghana, Tanzania, Niger, and Burkina Faso were shared, followed by practical sessions on developing questionnaires and tabulation plans for agricultural loss statistics. The workshop concluded with a closing ceremony chaired by Tinfissi-Joseph Ilboudo from UNECA, featuring final addresses from the GSARS II Coordinator and the Chair. 

As GSARS II approaches its conclusion, this workshop provided an opportunity to take stock of the progress made in strengthening the capacities of countries, address the challenges faced, and identify sustainable solutions. Participants left the workshop with a deeper understanding of cost-effective data collection methods and a commitment to implementing these methodologies in their respective countries. The collective insights gained will significantly contribute to improving agricultural statistics and supporting decision-making in agriculture. 

The success of this workshop was made possible by the generous financial support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the European Union. Their contributions have been instrumental in advancing the goals of GSARS II.