(Item 12 of the agenda)135. Document APCAS/00/15 Using Statistical Frameworks in Improving the Agricultural Statistical Service was presented. The commission was informed that existing statistical frameworks such as the 1993 System of National Accounts (SNA), the System of Economic Accounts for Food and Agriculture (SEAFA) together with the satellite Food Balance Sheet (FBS) and Supply Utilization Accounts (SUA) could provide good integrating mechanisms for the development and improvement of national agricultural statistical services. A system of statistical indicators that conformed to the structure of the medium-term national development plan was also presented as an alternative reference framework. The 1993 SNA and SEAFA provided a clear description of the coverage and units used in the system and the type of economic accounts needed. The SEAFA, which conformed more to providing a suitable framework for the development of food and agricultural statistics identified six major economic activities: (a) crop and animal husbandry, (b) forestry, logging and related activities, (c) fishing, (d) food production, (e) environment protection activities, and (f) other activities needed to support agricultural sector. Moreover, SEAFA specified the units required for the accounts: institutional units, establishments and products.
136. Through the use of harmonized account item codes, the SEAFA provided built-in articulation of relationships of different accounts that would help in undertaking more in-depth analysis of the interplay among different economic parameters and their effects on agriculture sector development. The SEAFA accounts also defined the form and types of data required which should provide essential inputs in the formulation of a national agricultural statistical development programme. Given the scarce resources generally made available for statistical activities in developing countries, SEAFA could thus serve as a good reference framework for the more judicious use of resources in order to prioritize data collection activities to support requirements of development planning and policy formulation.
137. The commission was informed that Mongolia had successfully constructed a comprehensive SEAFA at national level and for four provinces, each representing one agro-ecological zone, with support from FAO. The commission recognized the need for cooperation and coordination between national statistical agencies and compilers of accounts to insure sustainability of the maintenance of the systems. The commission also recognized that, in applying the SEAFA at the national level, consideration should be given to the treatment of certain items, such as woodfuels.
138. Among the major concerns that needed consideration in any attempt to improve agricultural statistical services based on the data requirements of SEAFA and limitations imposed by logistic and human resources, the following were highlighted: (a) establishing priorities on which of the SEAFA recommended accounts/tables to be regularly prepared; (b) the need to assess the quality and adequacy of available data to support the SEAFA tables and formulation of strategies to fill in data gaps as deemed relevant; (c) restructuring statistical activities to generate/establish databases by type of institutional units as required by SEAFA; (d) balancing statistical activities to support production versus consumption statistics, stocks versus flow data, updating basic parameters used in the accounts including conversion ratios, basket of commodities for price deflators, and harmonizing changes in base year for index computations; and (e) use of alternative, innovative and more cost-effective approaches in data generation and dissemination.
139. The commission emphasized the importance of conducting an Integrated Farm Household Survey to generate critical data inputs to the SEAFA. The commission therefore recommended that FAO support the establishment of standards and harmonized procedures for the generation of data inputs to, and construction of, tables for the SEAFA, including data on non-agricultural activities. If necessary, an expert consultation may be convened.
