Today the United Nations is celebrating the first World Statistics Day, to raise awareness of official statistics, which are premised on the core value of service, professionalism and integrity. As one of the principal statistical agencies in the U.S., the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has been heavily involved in establishing and improving agricultural statistics systems in countries around the world since the end of World War II.
Food insecurity, shortfalls in regional food production and lack of reliable information on the agricultural sector are major concerns in many countries. Improved agricultural data systems can provide more and better information to address these issues. This is why, over the past 10 years, NASS international projects have been instrumental in helping more than 30 developing and emerging market countries in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe to develop and improve their agricultural statistics programs.
Using our experience in conducting the census of agriculture, NASS is currently working with the Armenian National Statistics Service and the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct a full count of agriculture in Armenia. It has been 90 years since Armenia conducted its last census of agriculture. The upcoming census will also be Armenia’s first since the country gained its independence in 1991.
In addition to the Armenian census of agriculture, NASS is also currently working with the governments in Georgia, Brazil, Mongolia, Nigeria and Serbia. Our agency is also gearing up to start a new project in Moldova. We work to provide all of these countries with technical assistance and training on a reimbursable basis in all aspects of statistical surveys and data systems.
The benefits of such assistance extend beyond serving the interests of the various countries. By helping other countries improve their agricultural statistics systems, USDA’s ability to assess world food and fiber production is also improved. Establishing strong working relationships with other agricultural statisticians around the world allows NASS staff to gather and develop new ideas for improving the U.S. agricultural statistics system, while exposure to other cultures and work situations enhances our employees’ abilities to solve problems.
For more information on NASS’s international programs for improving agricultural statistics, please contact our International Programs Office at 202-720-4505 or nass-ipo@nass.usda.gov.
