A preliminary session for the assessment of Agriculture Statistics Strategic Plan 2014/15 - 2018/19 (ASSP I) has been held in Morogoro to inform processes ahead of formulation of the new strategy, ASSP II - for the accurate and reliable agriculture statistics in Tanzania.

Consultations into the ongoing assessment has involved key stakeholders, including the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the line government ministries, NGOs, farmer associations, academia and private sector – for which the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has funded the initiative.

Along with the initiative, the Assistant FAO Country Representative (Programmes) Charles Tulahi said, "We are pleased to partner with the government of Tanzania in this preliminary session for the assessment of Agriculture Statistics Strategic Plan 2014/15 - 2018/19 (ASSP I) to inform the formulation of ASSP II."

The assessment will be conducted to help in understanding the lessons learned from the implementation of the first plan, the gaps, the successes and will be used as a baseline for designing the second plan; guiding the preparation of strategic objectives while considering the evolution of the policy demand, the need for enhancing commitments from the government and other stakeholders and considering the new environment of work at international and regional levels.

The ASSP II will be designed on the basis of an in-depth assessment of ASSP-I achievements and gaps. The second plan will need to be aligned with the overall national statistical plans as well as with the main national development, agricultural and rural policies agendas and the regional and international requirements such as the SDGs and the Malabo declaration.

It will also consider the opportunities offered by new international initiatives to build strong national data systems, producing and using high-quality and timely agricultural and rural survey data. It will also serve as a platform for orientating future investments in agricultural statistics and as a reference for financial and technical partners providing technical assistance to Tanzania in the field of agricultural statistics.

The assessment and development of ASSP II strategy will be conducted in a participatory multisectoral approach, whereby different agriculture statistics stakeholders will be involved at various phases. The Steering Committee on Agricultural Statistics (SC AS) will assume responsibility of overseeing the process through the Technical Working Committee on Agricultural Statistics (TWC AS).