62. The Expert Consultation recommended that countries coordinate the various institutions involved in livestock sector data collection, possibly by the formation of a National Committee involving all organizations involved in the acquisition and use of such data. The National Committee should identify the agency(ies) responsible for the collection, warehousing, analysis, reporting and dissemination of data for different purposes.
63. The Expert Consultation recommended that the procedures for complete livestock census and partial census and/or intercensal samples/ surveys for other purposes should be clearly defined and identified in all reporting. The Expert Consultation additionally recommended that the maximum intervals for taking a livestock census should be defined within FAO procedures (five years is recommended). In addition, the agricultural census should include livestock census questions in all cases. Recognizing the frequency of changes in the sector, the Expert Consultation recommended the collection of livestock sector data annually.
64. The Expert Consultation strongly recommended that more detailed information, including metadata, which enable the data to be used more effectively - especially for planning and policy purposes - should be obtained and presented in disaggregated form. Recognizing the present and predicted pressures on demand for livestock and livestock products, such additional information should be available as a matter of urgency. Examples are: detail of production systems, farm size, breed (or relative size on a defined scale), local/exotic (defined) including bos taurus/bos indicus differentiation, reproductive rates, administrative regions, market/trade access, socio-geographic and economic structures etc.
65. Noting that data on slaughtering are the subject of serious concern since there is evidence of potential errors in data resulting from illegal and unreported slaughtering, and also because of traditional methods in some countries involving household slaughtering, the Expert Consultation recommended that more effort should be made to invoke procedures which enable sound estimates/records of such practices. It agreed that similar difficulties occur with milk production and with eggs and poultry meat from native chickens owned by small or landless farmers. Such procedures may well involve special surveys involving local markets, household consumption etc.
66. The Expert Consultation decided that publication of survey or census results should be subject to time limitations (agreed by the National Committee) and recommended no more than one year for preliminary results and two years for final results.
67. The Expert Consultation strongly recommended that the results should be more widely disseminated and suggested that appropriate channels be used to ensure that these results were available to those providing data (or to their agreed representative organisations on the National Committee).
68. The Expert Consultation decided that every effort should be made to ensure that nomadic and semi-nomadic livestock enumeration should be carried out at similar times and with similar methods during the national livestock census.
69. The Expert Consultation noted and approved of the FAO decision to update the FAO Manual, Collecting data on livestock and recommended that, during this process, countries should be encouraged to provide comments and suggestions. The Expert Consultation requested that the update be completed by 31 December 2005.
70. The Expert Consultation strongly recommended that the awareness of the overall role and value of livestock statistics must be more effectively promoted. Recognizing that good policy making was dependent upon good data, the Expert Consultation recommended that FAO must be proactive in ensuring that countries are aware of the costs of inadequate data by developing case studies, by providing copies of relevant programs to assist policy makers in the use of data and by providing material for tertiary education establishments. It was also noted that training courses for technical personnel in livestock production could assist in providing policy makers and planners with better advice on options available and their implications. In addition, courses for policy makers and planners should be held to provide information on the tools available to assist and to provide information on the vital and cost effective role of accurate and reliable data in policy making.
71. The Expert Consultation agreed that these activities would form part of the effort required to enable FAO to more effectively take up its normative role regarding assistance at policy level and recognized that this type of advocacy is of even greater importance at present given the challenges facing the livestock industry.
72. The Expert Consultation noted the new developments in analysis, use and dissemination of livestock data, including GLIPHA, and recommended that the various products available through FAO to assist policy makers in using data should be initially presented by technical divisions to FAORs who could then demonstrate the products within the country. Alternatively, FAORs should arrange training courses for policy makers and planners and coordinate technical presentations of the products available for their assistance. The process should also encourage countries to provide more and improved data to further improve the development of tools.
73. While recognizing the efforts made so far by FAO, the Expert Consultation recommended that increasing technical competence in member countries in all aspects of data handling must be a greater priority for FAO. FAO should facilitate the exchange of experiences between countries, especially within common regions, on all aspects of data handling (e.g. data collection, data processing, analysis, dissemination). Applications and analysis techniques should include food balance sheets and supply-utilization accounts.
74. The Expert Consultation recommended that FAO explore with member countries better strategies for the acquisition of accurate, reliable primary data by improved methodologies which may include GIS, remote sensing and other new technologies. However, the Expert Consultation considered that present methodologies with better resourcing are more likely to produce initial benefits in this respect.
75. The Expert Consultation recognized the need to provide the most effective use of data and recommended that new sampling methods, data collection techniques and analysis procedures should be investigated and further research into the accuracy of different sampling techniques should be carried out by FAO to identify preferred procedures. The Expert Consultation recognized the role and use of forecasting and recommended that it should be included in this research.
76. Noting the recent changes regarding the treatment of data on exceptional losses, the Expert Consultation requested the parties involved to harmonise FAO guidelines and Eurostat guidelines for losses in livestock and for EAA purposes, wherever possible.
