A. Agenda
B. List of Delegates and Observers
C. List of Documents
D. Inaugural Address by, Sir Guy Green, Governor of Tasmania
E. Joint Statement by the FAO Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific and the Director, FAO Statistics Division
F. Address by the Australian Statistician
G. Members Countries of the Commission as of November 1998
1. Opening of the Session
2. Election of Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and Drafting Committee
3. Adoption of the Agenda and Timetable
4. FAO’s Activities in Food and Agricultural Statistics during 1996-98 in the Asia and Pacific Region
5. Review of the Present State of Food and Agricultural Statistics in Member Countries of the Commission - Country Statements
6. Report on Japan/FAO Cooperative Project “Improvement of Agricultural Statistics in Asia and Pacific Countries”
7. Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System
8. Geocoding for Land Use Mapping
9. Strategic View of the Future Requirements for Agricultural Statistics from a World Perspective and the Challenges to be Faced by Countries
10. Forestry Statistics
11. Striking the Balance between Censuses and Surveys, their Frequency, Scope and Coverage
12. Implementation of the Guidelines on the Collection of Structural Information on Aquaculture
13. Other Matters
14. Adoption of the Report
15. Closing of the Session
AUSTRALIA
Mr. William MCLENNAN
Australian Statistician
Australian Bureau of Statistics
P.O. Box 10
Belconnen ACT 2616
Tel: (61-2) 6252-6705
Fax: (61-2) 652-8080
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Dennis TREWIN
Deputy Australian Statistician
Economic Statistics Group
Australian Bureau of Statistics
P.O. Box 10
Belconnen ACT 2616
Tel: (61-2)
Fax: (61-2)
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Robin SLATER
Assistant Statistician
Production Statistics Branch
Australian Bureau of Statistics
P.O. Box 10
Belconnen ACT 2616
Tel: (61-2) 62525166
Fax: (61-2) 62531095
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Geoff HEFFERNAN
Director
Agriculture and Mining Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics
P.O. Box 10
Belconnen ACT 2616
Tel: (61-2) 6252-5339
Fax: (61-2) 62528016
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Lindsay MCDOUGALL
Director
Economic Statistics Branch
Tasmanian Office
Australian Bureau of Statistics
200 Collins Street
Hobart
Tasmania 7000
Tel: (61-3) 6222-5804
Fax: (61-3) 6222-5766
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Kolin TOIVONEN
Assistant Director
Agriculture and Mining Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics
P.O. Box 10
Belconnen ACT 2616
Tel: (61-1) 652-5338
Fax: (61-2) 652-8016
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Glen SWARD
Assistant Director
Economic Statistics Branch
Australian Bureau of Statistics
200 Collins Street
Hobart
Tasmania 7000
Tel: (61-2) - 62225850
Fax: (61-2) 62225879
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Keith FARWELL
Manager, Maths/Stats Cell
Australian Bureau of Statistics
200 Collins St., Hobart, Tasmania 7000
Tel: (61-3) 6222-5889
Fax: (61-3) 6222-5766
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms. Fran FREEMAN
Manager
Land and Water Economics Section
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics
(ABARE)
GPO Box 1563
Canberra ACT 2601
Tel: (61-2) 6272-2068
Fax: (61-2) 272-2318
E-mail: [email protected]
BANGLADESH
Mr. Abu Bakar SIDDIQUE
Director
Agriculture Statistics Wing
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
5 Green Corner, Green Road
Dhaka 1205
Tel: 880-2-507115
BHUTAN
Mr. A. Karma RINZIN
Planning Officer
Land Use and Statistics Section
Policy and Planning Division
Ministry of Agriculture
Thimphu
Tel: (975-2) - 23745
Fax: (975-2) - 23748
CAMBODIA
Mr. MEACH Yady
Statistician
Department of Planning, Statistics and International
Cooperation
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Fisheries
Phnom Penh
Tel: (855-23) - 216-060
Fax: (855-23) - 216 060
E-mail: [email protected]
CHINA
Mrs. ZHANG Yuxiang
Deputy Director-General
Department of Market and Economic Information
Ministry of Agriculture
11 Nongzhanguan Nanli
Beijing 100026
Tel: (86-10) 6419-3152
Fax: (86-10) 6419-2451
Mr. CHEN Lishui
Division Director
Division of Statistical Information and Commodity
Price
Department of Market and Economic Information
Ministry of Agriculture
11 Nongzhanguan Nanli
Beijing 100026
Tel: (86-10) 6419-3145
Fax: (86-10) 6419-2451
Mr. WANG Yuexin
Division Director
General Organization of Rural Social-Economic Survey
State Statistical Bureau (SSB)
Ministry of Agriculture
75 Yuetan Nanjie, Sanlihe
Beijing 100826
Tel: (86-10) 63401417
Fax: (86-10) 6857-6354
Ms. LIU Chongxiao
Senior Program Officer
Department of International Cooperation
State Statistical Bureau of China
75 Yuetan Nanjie, Sanlihe
Beijing 100826
Tel: (86-10) 6857-6351
Fax: (86-10) 6857-6354
Ms. WANG Ping
Interpreter
Center of International Cooperation Service
Ministry of Agriculture
11 Nongzhanguan Nanli
Beijing 100026
Tel: (86-10) 6419-2450
Fax: (86-10) 6419-2451
E-mail: [email protected]
FIJI
Mr. Viliame GUCAKE
Senior Economist (Trade, Policy & Stats)
Economic Planning and Statistics Division
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forests
Private Mail Bag
Raiwaqa
Suva
Tel: (679) 384233
Fax: (679) 385048
Mr. Jone RATUVUKI
Senior Agricultural Assistant
Economic Planning and Statistics Division
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forests
Private Mail Bag
Raiwaqa
Suva
Tel: (679) 384233
Fax: (679) 385048
FRANCE
Mr. Gérard BAUDCHON
Director
Institut Territorial de la Statistique et des Etudes
Economiques (ITSEE)
Statistics Department of New Caledonia
B.P. No. 823
98845 Nouméa Cedex
NEW CALEDONIA
Tel: (687) 283156
Fax: (687) 288148
E-mail: [email protected]
INDIA
Dr. G.S. RAM
Economic and Statistical Adviser
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation
Ministry of Agriculture
Krishi Bhawan
New Delhi 110001
Tel: (91-11) 3382-719
Fax: (91-11) 3382-719
E-mail: [email protected]
INDONESIA
Mr. SUGIARTO
Deputy Director-General for Production and Population
Statistics
Statistics Indonesia
8 Jalan Dr. Sutomo
Jakarta 10010
Tel: (62-21) 384-3959, 3810291
Fax: (62-21) 384-3959
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Togar A. NAPITUPULU
Director
Centre of Agricultural Data
Ministry of Agriculture
3 Harsono RM, E. Bldg., 3rd Fl.
Jakarta 12550
Tel: (62-21) 780-5305
Fax: (62-21) 780-7601
E-mail: [email protected] or
[email protected]
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
Mr. Ali Yousefian ARANI
Deputy Director
Agricultural Statistics and Information Department
(ASID)
Ministry of Agriculture
P.O. Box 14155-6345
Tehran 14155
Tel: (98-21) 653025
Fax: (98-21) 650377
E-mail: [email protected]
JAPAN
Mr. Tadashi TSUCHIYA
Director
Marketing and Consumption Statistics Division
Statistics and Information Department
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
1-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-8950
Tel: (81-3) 3501-1082
Fax: (81-3) 3502-3634
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Motokichi AOYAMA
Deputy Director
Office of International Affairs
Statistics and Information Department
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
1-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-8950
Tel: (81-3) 3502-5946
Fax: (81-3) 3580-3767
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Shoji KIMURA
Section Chief
Office of International Affairs
Statistics and Information Department
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
1-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-8950
Tel: (81-3) 3502-5946
Fax: (81-3) 3580-3767
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Takuma ISHII
Dispatch to Indonesia as JICA project leader
Center of Agricultural Data
Ministry of Agriculture
Gedung E 3 Jl. Harsono Room No. 3
Ragunan
Jakarta
Indonesia 12550
Tel/Fax: (62-21) 789 0785
E-Mail: [email protected]
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
Mr. Myong Goo KANG
Director
Statistics Planning Division
Bureau of Agricultural Information and Statistics
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Government Complex
Gwa-Chon 427-760
Tel: (82) (2) 500-2628, 503-7251/2
Fax: (82) (2) 507-3961
E-mail: [email protected]
LAO PDR
Mr. Savanh HANEPHOM
Deputy Director
Statistics and Planning Division
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
P.O. Box 811
Vientiane
Tel: (856-21) 6418 (Home)
Fax: (856-21) 41-5363 (Office)
E-mail: [email protected]
MALAYSIA
Mr. AKBAR bin Ali
Deputy Chief Statistician
(Trade & Industry Sector)
Department of Statistics
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603 - 2940125
Fax: 603 - 2937471
E-mail: [email protected]
NEPAL
Mr. Rabi SINGH
Deputy Director
Central Bureau of Statistics
Thapathali
Kathmandu
Tel: (977-1) 245-947 & 245-948
Fax: (977-1) 227-720
E-mail: [email protected]
NEW ZEALAND
Mr. Tom WOODHOUSE
Chief Economic Adviser
Statistics New Zealand
Private Bag 4741
Christchurch
Tel: (64-3) 374-8700
Fax: (64-3)-374-8723
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Stuart PETTIGREW
Economic Statistician
Business Surveys Development Unit
Statistics New Zealand
Private Bag 4741
Christchurch
Tel: (64-3) 374-8700
Fax: (64-3)-374-8723
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Paul LANE
Senior Analyst
Policy Information
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
P.O. Box 2526
Wellington
Tel: (64-4) 498-9826
Fax: (64-4) 474-4206
E-mail: [email protected]
PAKISTAN
Dr. Noor Mohammad LARIK
Director-General
Federal Bureau of Statistics
Statistics Division
Government of Pakistan
State Life Building No. 5
Blue Area
Islamabad
Tel: (051) - 920-8489
Fax: (051) - 920-3233
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Mohammad HANIF
Commissioner Minor Crops and
National Project Director TCP/PAK/6711 - Horticultural Crop
Statistics and Information System
Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Livestock
Islamabad
Tel: (051) - 920-2602
Fax: (051) - 922-1246
PHILIPPINES
Mr. Romeo RECIDE
Director
Bureau of Agricultural Statistics
Department of Agriculture
1184 Quezon Avenue
Quezon City
Tel: (63-2) - 3712050
Fax: (63-2) - 371-2086
E-mail: [email protected]
SRI LANKA
Ms. D.D.M.V. PERERA
Statistician
Agriculture Division
Department of Census & Statistics
No. 30 Asoka Gardens
Colombo 4
Tel: (94-1) 502953
Fax: (94-1) 502953
E-mail: [email protected]
THAILAND
Mrs. Jirawan BOONPERM
Director
Economic Statistics Division
National Statistical Office
Larn Luan Rd.
Bangkok 10100
Tel: (66-2) 281-0333 ext. 1800; 281-8617 (dir.)
Fax: (66-2) 281-8617 (direct)
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Chalit AMNUAY
Senior Statistician
Center for Agricultural Information
Office of Agricultural Economics
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Kasetsart University Campus
Bangkhen, Bangkok 10900
Tel: (66-2) - 940-5407
Fax: (66-2) - 579-0616
UNITED STATE OF AMERICA
Mr. Frederic VOGEL
Director
Estimates Division
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Room 5801 - South Building
14th & Independence Ave. SW
Washington DC 20250-2000
Tel: (202) - 720 - 3896
Fax: (202) - 690 - 1311
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Larry A. SIVERS
Director
International Programs Office
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Department of Agriculture
Room 4112 South Building
14th & Independence Ave. SW
Washington D.C. 20250-2000
Tel: (202) - 720-4505
Fax: (202) - 720-0506
E-mail: [email protected]
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED NATIONS, SPECIALIZED AGENCIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ASIAN PRODUCTIVITY ORGANIZATION (APO)
Dr. Manuel S.J. de LEON
Agriculture Program Officer
APO
8-4-14, Akasaka, Minato-ku
Tokyo 107-0052
JAPAN
Tel: (81-3) 3408-7229
Fax: (81-3) 3408-7239
E-mail: [email protected]
UN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (ESCAP)
Mr. Andrew J. FLATT
Director
Statistics Division
ESCAP
UN Building, Rajadamnern Nok Avenue
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Tel: (66-2) 288-1611
Fax (662) 288-100 (gen.); 288-1082 (dir.)
E-mail: [email protected]
SOUTHEAST ASIAN FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SEAFDEC)
Mr. Udom BHATIYASEVI
Secretary-General
SEAFDEC
Suraswadi Building
Kasetsart University Campus
Banghken, Bangkok 10900, THAILAND
Tel: (66-2) 940-6326 to 6329; 940-6330 (dir.)
Fax: (66-2) 940-6336
E-mail: [email protected]
UNITED NATIONS STATISTICAL INSTITUTE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (SIAP)
Mr. LAU Kak En
Director
SIAP
Economic Cooperation Centre Bldg.,
Annex 2F
42 Honmura-cho, Ichigaya
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162
JAPAN
Tel: (81-3) 3357-8354
Fax: (81-3) 3341-1298
E-mail: [email protected]
OBSERVERS
Ms. Alice WOODHEAD
NSW Agriculture
Wollongbar Agriculture Institute
Wollongbar 2477
AUSTRALIA
Tel: (61-2) 66261215
Fax: (61-2) 662281744
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Patricia LUDOWYK
Senior Policy Adviser
Rural Development Group
Australian Agency for International Development
(AUSAID)
62 Northborne Ave.
Canberra, ACT, AUSTRALIA
Tel: (61-2) 6206-4807
Fax: (61-2) 6206-4870
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms. Ingrid Van PUTTEN
Economist
Economic and Policy Research Branch
Department of Primary Industry & Fisheries
1 Franklin Wharf
GPO Box 192B, Hobart, 7001
Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Mr. Ladislav KABAT
Director
Statistics Division
Economic and Social Department
FAO Headquarters
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, ITALY
Tel: (39-06) 570- 53599
Fax: (39-06) - 570-55615
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Loganaden NAIKEN
Chief
Statistical Analysis Service
Statistics Division
FAO Headquarters
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, ITALY
Tel: (39-06) 570-54127
Fax: (39-06) - 570-55615
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Krishen RANA
Aquaculture Statistician
Fishery Information, Data and Statistics Unit
Fisheries Department
FAO Headquarters
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, ITALY
Tel: (39-6) 570-52259
Fax: (39-6) 570-53605
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Ryuki IKEDA
Agricultural Statistics Expert
GCP/RAS/171/JPN
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
39 Phra Atit Road
Bangkok 10200, THAILAND
Tel: (66-2) 281-7844 Ext. 354
Fax: (66-2) 280 - 0445
E-mail: [email protected]
LIAISON OFFICER
Mr. Lindsay MCDOUGALL
Director
Economic Statistics Branch
Tasmanian Office
Australian Bureau of Statistics
200 Collins Street
Hobart
Tasmania 7000
Australia
or
GPO Box 66A
Hobart
Tasmania 7001
Australia
Tel: (61- 3) 6222 5804
Fax: (61- 3) 6222 5766
E-mail: [email protected]
FAO CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT
Mr. Hiek SOM
Senior Statistician
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
39 Phra Atit Road
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Tel: (66-2) 281-7844 Ext. 250
Fax: (66-2) 280-0445
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Generoso de GUZMAN
Consultant
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
39 Phra Atit Road
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Mrs. Truchai SODSOON
Translation Assistant
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
39 Phra Atit Road
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
Mrs. Dararat VIBULCHAROENKITJA
Secretary
FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
39 Phra Atit Road
Bangkok 10200
THAILAND
|
Doc. No. |
Agenda Item |
Title of Documents |
|
APCAS/98/1 |
3 |
Provisional Agenda |
|
APCAS/98/2 |
3 |
Provisional Timetable |
|
APCAS/98/3 |
4 |
FAO’s Activities in Food and Agricultural Statistics
during 1996-98 in the the Asia and Pacific Region |
|
APCAS/98/4 |
5 |
Country Statements on the State of Food and Agricultural
Statistics (see List of Country/Agency Papers, on next page) |
|
APCAS/98/5 |
6 |
Progress Report on Project GCP/RAS/171/JPN - Improvement of
Agricultural Statistics in Asia and Pacific Countries |
|
APCAS/98/6 |
7 |
Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping
System |
|
APCAS/98/7 |
8 |
Geocoding of Agricultural Establishments in Australia
|
|
APCAS/98/8 |
9 |
Strategic View of Agricultural Statistics for the Next
Millennium |
|
APCAS/98/9 |
9 |
Issues and Concerns for Developing Countries |
|
APCAS/98/10 |
9 |
Future Role for Governments in Providing Agricultural
Statistics Services: Issues for Discussion |
|
APCAS/98/11 |
10 |
Forestry Statistics and Information in Asia and Pacific Region
|
|
APCAS/98/12 |
11 |
The Introduction of a Sample Survey for the Collection of
Agricultural Commodity Data in Australia |
|
APCAS/98/13 |
11 |
Striking the Balance between Censuses and Surveys, their
Frequency, Scope and Coverage |
|
APCAS/98/14 |
12 |
Progress on the Implementation of the Guidelines on the
Collection of Structural Aquaculture Statistics - Supplement to the Programme
for the World Census of Agriculture 2000 |
I add my welcome to you all to this meeting. I extend a special welcome to Tasmania to all our visitors from overseas. Whilst I know that you are here to do important work I do hope that you find time to enjoy some of the many attractions which this island State of ours has to offer.
We are honoured that you have chosen to hold the 17th Session of the Asia and Pacific Commission on Agricultural Statistics in Australia and we feel especially privileged that it is being held here in Tasmania.
During this Session other speakers will be talking to you about Australia’s work in agricultural statistics. I would like to say something about some of the activities in which Tasmania is engaged which are relevant to your field and which I think make it an especially appropriate venue for this meeting. First of all the National Project Centre for Agricultural Statistics in Australia is located here in Hobart. Tasmania is also an important centre for research and training in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture. Indeed the Department of Aquaculture in the University of Tasmania was the first and I think still is the only university aquaculture department in Australia. Tasmania is a major producer of food and forestry products of all kinds and has a thriving and innovative aquaculture industry which is rapidly expanding, production having trebled over the last five years.
Hobart is also the location of the Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. By coincidence the Commission created by that convention is holding its annual series of meetings in Tasmania at the moment. One of the topics on its agenda is the development of a project to assess the size of the largest biomass on earth - the Krill resource in the Southern Ocean. A crucially important component of that project will be the collection, organisation and dissemination of the statistical data which it will produce.
Tasmania is also making contributions to specialised areas of research and development relevant to your field. One is the pioneering work done by Tasmanian workers in the increasingly important field of predictive microbiology. This involves the development of mathematical and computer models which increase the precision with which predictions can be made of the survival and growth of microorganisms in food products under various conditions. These models significantly increase the capacity of food producers and distributors to maximise the protection which they can give to consumers without having to employ the wasteful over-cautious practices which must be adopted when the precise limits of the risk against which they are guarding are not known. Predictive microbiology can thus be instrumental in increasing the productivity of the food industry without any increase in demands upon resources. As well, the techniques employed in predictive microbiology for the development of its models and for the validation and adjustment of those models in the light of observed behaviour are closely related to the sort of techniques employed in much of your work.
I do not refer to these Tasmanian endeavours in a boastful way, although we are proud of them. Rather I refer to them to illustrate why Tasmania feels it has a close affinity with the mission and the important work in which your Commission and FAO are engaged. So whilst you are here I do hope that you feel that you are amongst friends and colleagues who share your commitment to your important endeavours.
The availability of reliable, uniform and relevant agricultural statistics is of crucial significance for the work of the governments of this region and for the discharge of the mission of FAO. They are an essential precondition to effective planning, the formulation of policy and decision making generally. But the creation and dissemination of such data also serves a wider purpose. Reducing undernutrition is not just a simple matter of increasing the world’s agricultural and marine resources. It also involves socioeconomic issues concerning population growth, rural poverty and international agricultural trade and questions such as how we reconcile the development of agricultural and marine resources with the preservation of the environment. The proper resolution of issues of that kind does not just involve technical considerations but also requires the making of value judgements and the weighing up of competing interests which have to be undertaken in the wider political and public domain. But debate about those larger issues can be ill informed or distorted because of popular ignorance or misconceptions about statistics and statistical methods. I think that professional statisticians can make a real contribution to increasing public debate about such issues by the way in which they present statistics, by educating laymen about their proper use and by disabusing them of some of the more common misconceptions about statistics. Examples of the sort of principles which it would be useful to make people aware of are that a correlation between variables does not demonstrate a casual connection between them, that uncontrolled extrapolation can lead to absurd results and that the reliability of statistics is always limited by the reliability of the physical measurements or observations from which they are derived.
The commitment, the professional detachment and the skill of the Commission and those who serve it make a significant contribution to increasing public and political understanding of food and agricultural resources and facilitating the resolution of the technical and wider issues which face the FAO and the governments of the Asia-Pacific region.
This meeting will I am sure be a most valuable vehicle for advancing the important objectives of the Commission.
I have much pleasure in declaring the 17th Session of the Asia and Pacific Commission on Agricultural Statistics open.
Mr. Chairman,
Your Excellency the Governor of the State of
Tasmania,
Mr. McLennan, Australian Statistician,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure and privilege to welcome you all, on behalf of the FAO Director-General and on my own behalf to this Seventeenth Session of the Asia and Pacific Commission on Agricultural Statistics.
May I express my heart-felt thanks to the Australian Statistician and through him to the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia for hosting this Commission Session.
This is the first time that the Commission meets in Australia and it is also the first time that its Session is held outside the capital city of a member country.
We admire Australia for its sound statistical system and for its unique decentralisation policy in statistics: major activities are conceived in Canberra (or rather Belconnen) while implementation of the programme in an area of statistics is piloted from one of the States. We are lucky that Australian agricultural statistics operations are launched from Hobart, Tasmania which allows us to meet here today, that is practically at the Southern-most of the Asia and Pacific Region. We look forward to learning more from the Australian statistical system during this conference. And we will also experience a memorable event during the period of our stay here: the Melbourne Cup will be held this week.
It is very encouraging that member countries and International Organizations respond so enthusiastically to the invitation to this Seventeenth Session of the Commission. Twenty-one countries out of 24 members have sent delegates and five UN and International Organizations are attending this Commission Session. I may mention here that Bhutan is sending a delegation to the Commission Session for the first time. All of us, old and new members, will certainly benefit from each other’s experiences and expertise
ECONOMIC CRISIS AND AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Many countries in the Asia and Pacific have been hit hard by a severe economic crisis during the last eighteen months or so. Most Southeast Asian countries are experiencing recessions that will badly affect life styles of the people and of course their food consumption. These difficulties are compounded by the effect of El Niño, which sees a number of countries facing drought or less-than-normal rainfall in parts of Asia while floods which seems to be the early indications of the coming in of La Niña are damaging crops in some other areas of the Region.
We fear that these calamities and economic problems will further deteriorate the nutritional status of malnourished people in our Region, the number of which was last estimated at 512 millions. The World Food Summit, held in Rome in November 1996, adopted a Plan of Action, which has guided FAO’s Programme of Work and Budget.
ANALYSIS OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL DATA AND INFORMATION
The highest priority in FAO Programmes is on Food Security. The Plan of Action includes the development and maintenance of Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems (FIVIMS), both at global and at national levels. Identification of the food-insecure and vulnerable people is the main purpose of these systems. It is opportune that you will discuss FIVIMS as the major agenda item of this Commission Session.
You will also have the opportunity to debate on actions to be taken at country level for the establishment of national FIVIMS, during a working session on this topic.
TOOLS FOR IMPROVING NATIONAL STATISTICAL SYSTEMS
Following a recommendation of the previous Commission Session in Japan, FAO and the Government of Japan have closely cooperated in the formulation and execution of a regional project on “Improvement of Agricultural Statistics in Asia and Pacific Countries”. The project will help countries identify priority areas for improvement and develop a statistical development plan. A progress report on this project will be presented at this Session, according to the Commission’s wish, expressed during the Tokyo meeting. In the end the outputs of this project are expected to complement and further enrich FAOSTAT, the statistical component of WAICENT. These developments will enhance the participation of our member countries in the emerging global electronic information highway.
We are honored and privileged to have Australia and the United States of America to substantially contribute to this Commission Session, on different agenda items related to national statistical systems. These are: Geo-coding for Land Use Mapping; Strategic View of Future Requirements for Agricultural Statistics from a World Perspective and the Challenges to be Faced by Countries; and Striking the Balance between Censuses and Surveys, their Frequency, Scope and Coverage. You will find their papers and those of FAO on these topics thought provoking for future course of actions in food and agricultural statistics.
STATISTICS AND INFORMATION ON FORESTRY AND FISHERIES
Two important papers have been prepared for statistics and information relating to forestry and fisheries. They will be discussed under separate agenda items. It is important that they receive adequate attention, as activities in forestry and fisheries have major impacts on the environment.
The paper on forestry statistics and information will discuss major statistical activities in the region and future course of actions in this field.
For fisheries, the emphasis this time will be on structural aquaculture statistics. This is in line with the opinion of the Commission when it last met in Japan.
Finally, I would like to reiterate my thanks to the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia for hosting this Session of the Commission. The Australian and American technical contributions to the conference are also highly appreciated.
I would like to thank members of the Organizing Committee, set up by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, for their tireless efforts and important work to ensure that the Session meets in an environment conducive for fruitful deliberations and friendly atmosphere. I thank my colleagues from the FAO Headquarters and the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific for their dedication to servicing the Commission.
To close this address, I wish you success in your discussions and deliberations. FAO looks forward to your recommendations to guide our future activities.
Thank you.
INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS
- Welcome delegates to Conference and Australia.
- The recent financial crisis in many Asian countries has highlighted the importance of good statistics. A particular concern is whether there will be enough food for the citizens of the countries. Agriculture statistics are important contributor to knowledge on the supply of food. The theme of the Conference is very topical.
STRUCTURE OF STATISTICAL SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA
- Centralised statistical system - i.e., the ABS is responsible for the majority of statistical activity, including most subject matters.
- Furthermore, the ABS is responsible for State Government statistical requirements as well as national requirements. This happened as a result of the national and State governments agreeing that there should be one national statistical agency.
- The ABS’s mission is to assist and encourage informed decision making, research and discussion within governments and the community by providing a high quality, objective and responsive national statistical service.
- Statistical priorities are set by the Statistician after consultation with users; at the highest level, Australian Statistics Advisory Council provides advice to the Statistician. The members of the Council represent the broad community of users, not just Government.
- Nevertheless, there are important statistical activities taking place outside the ABS. These might be conducted by other national government agencies, State agencies or private organisations. For example, the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics, which is represented at this meeting, conducts a number of important agriculture collections. The national government has recently provided the ABS with a clearing house responsibility for statistical collections conducted by other national government agencies.
- This is consistent with the ABS’s legal responsibility to co-ordinate the statistical activities of national government agencies.
- A large number of separate collections are undertaken by the ABS - range from regular surveys to periodic censuses, the 5-yearly Population Census being the largest.
- Also the ABS produces a range of outputs that bring together data from a range of collections generally using international statistical frameworks; these include the national accounts, balance of payments and social indicators.
- There is increasing reliance on administrative by-product data as a source for national statistics, particularly taxation data and data from State and regional authorities to support regional data requirements.
- This reduces the cost to the ABS and to businesses who might otherwise have to complete ABS questionnaires.
- The integrity of the statistics produced by the ABS are extremely important to our public reputation. We believe that reliable social and economic statistics are fundamental to open government. We achieve this in several ways:
STRUCTURE OF ABS
- About 3000 permanent staff with some 800 temporary staff; budget in excess of $250M; more staff required for the five-yearly Population Census.
- Decentralised structure with Central Office (CO) in Canberra and an office in each State capital; about half our staff are located in State capitals.
- Statistical programs are partitioned into two groups - Economic and Population and Social, with support provided by four service Divisions - Methodology, Information Services, Technology Services, Corporate Services.
- Each field of statistical activity is the responsibility of a subject matter unit, with the responsibility for collection activity concentrated in subject-specific National Project Centres, mostly located in State Offices to take advantage of the skilled staff in these locations; the overall subject matter program management is in CO in all cases. For example, the Agriculture Program is managed from Central Office in Canberra but the statistical collection responsibilities are located in Tasmania.
AGRICULTURE STATISTICS
- The major ABS agriculture collection activities are:
- Statistics from these collections are available in publications and electronic releases. Copies of the publications will be made available to you.
- Significant changes are taking place in the interest of users and we are currently working out how to respond to these changes
SUPPORT FOR THE REGION
- ABS is committed to sharing knowledge and contributing to international forums.
- ABS is a member of the UN Statistical Commission (UNSC) and is an active member of Asia/Pacific forums.
- In recent years, the ABS has provided support to the region, including some of the APCAS member countries (e.g., Indonesia, Bhutan, Nepal, Malaysia, China, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Thailand).
- ABS has very close relationship with Stats NZ and has exchanged staff at senior levels in recent years.
- Objective is to assist countries to establish good statistical policies and methodologies. We do this with the knowledge that Asian statisticians are among the best in the world. Our highest priority for technical assistance is the Asia/Pacific region. Almost all our technical assistance effort is devoted to the region.
- Technical assistance is achieved in a variety of ways:
CONCLUSION
- To conclude, I hope you have frank and interesting discussions and that the Conference is worthwhile. Of course, that depends on you! Please express our views, even if they may be critical. That is the Australian way!
- Please let me know if you have any questions or comments on what I have said.
FAO Asia and Pacific Commission on Agricultural Statistics
Members as of November 1998
Australia
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Cambodia
China, People’s Rep. of
Fiji
France
India
Indonesia
Iran, Islamic Rep. of
Japan
Korea, Rep. of
Lao PDR
Malaysia
Myanmar
Nepal
New Zealand
Pakistan
Philippines
Sri Lanka
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States of America
Vietnam
DATES AND PLACES OF SESSIONS OF THE ASIA AND PACIFIC COMMISSION ON AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
|
First |
- Tokyo, 26 September - 3 October 1966 |
|
Second |
- New Delhi, 9 - 14 December 1968 |
|
Third |
- Bangkok, 26 - 31 October 1970 |
|
Fourth |
- Seoul, 6 - 12 October 1972 |
|
Fifth |
- Kuala Lumpur, 16 - 20 July 1974 |
|
Sixth |
- Manila, 25 - 31 March 1976 |
|
Seventh |
- Bangkok, 17 - 23 August 1978 |
|
Eighth |
- Kathmandu, 26 - 31 October 1980 |
|
Ninth |
- Dhaka, 2 - 7 December 1982 |
|
Tenth |
- Jakarta, 26 July - 1 August 1984 |
|
Eleventh |
- Seoul, 29 May - 3 June 1986 |
|
Twelfth |
- Colombo, 10 - 16 August 1988 |
|
Thirteenth |
- Bangkok, 29 October - 2 November 1990 |
|
Fourteenth |
- Beijing, 8 - 13 June 1992 |
|
Fifteenth |
- Manila, 24 - 28 October 1994 |
|
Sixteenth |
- Tokyo, 28 October - 1 November 1996 |
|
Seventeenth |
- Hobart, 2 - 6 November 1998 |
