56. The paper Data analysis for livestock sector policy formulation, STAT/LVSTK/16, presented by Pius CHILONDA, focused on data analysis for livestock sector policy formulation in order to provide a linkage between data collection and potential use. He discussed possible objectives and a framework of livestock sector analysis, as well as data considerations and sources. The final part of the paper provided examples of common analyses of livestock data and limitations of commonly reported statistics about livestock. He listed the main data domains required for policy formulation and evaluation as socio-economic, biophysical resources, markets and trade, livestock population, production, animal and public health, environment and infrastructure. Temporal, spatial and functional aspects of livestock related information were important considerations. In order to enhance the scope of data analysis, it was recommended that data shall be reported at lower administrative levels (province/district) and by livestock systems which provide a functional overview of the livestock sector.
57. Limitations in most datasets on the livestock sector related to inconsistencies in the data reported, with most livestock specific variables, such as livestock systems, consumption of livestock products, although critical in the analysis of the livestock sector, lacking. It was recommended that, given the high cost of data collection, greater attention should be paid to quality of the data and the intended use of the data. In order to facilitate international comparisons of livestock data, it was necessary that there was standardization in reporting of livestock data. Finally in order to improve statistical databases on livestock, the usefulness of statistical yearbooks and other livestock statistical publication and to increase the scope for livestock sector analysis, the following indicators should be collected and/or reported:
GDP from livestock, employment, land use, trade (both in live animals and livestock products);
number of households keeping livestock, size of livestock holdings, draught power and manure utilisation, household income from livestock;
livestock numbers (live and slaughtered) by species, breed, sex-age composition and growth rate of livestock populations by production systems and province/district;
productivity parameters of livestock in each system - carcass weights, milk yields, egg yields, fertility rates, mortality rates, ages at maturity, slaughter-ages, longevity;
current and future demand for livestock products;
availability of feed resources - pasture, arable fodder, other roughages and concentrates;
production chains, livestock prices for livestock and products, share of informal slaughtering and subsistence; and
Infrastructure - abattoirs (export accredited abattoirs and their capacity), milk processing plants capacity, feed mills, veterinary infrastructure, market facilities, water supplies.
58. Chalit AMNUAY presented a paper, Analysis and dissemination of livestock sector data, STAT/LVSTK/17. He indicated that the livestock survey was currently implemented through systematic random sampling or linear sampling, but suggested that the quality of the estimates could be improved by applying a multiple frame.
59. He said that various livestock associations had indicated the possibility of participating in the collection and dissemination of livestock information.
60. Mr Amnuay considered that it was important to use appropriate media for dissemination of livestock sector information, and proposed that the Internet was an important method. He recommended that Agricultural Technology Transfer Centres be set up at local levels to facilitate the dissemination of information to the small farmers.
61. Mr Diedhiou facilitated the discussion on a) strategies for improving national systems of livestock statistics, b) advocacy tools to gather support for statistical activities on livestock and livestock products; and c) methodologies and techniques to improve the quality of livestock statistics.
