Statistical Capacity Development
One of the key missions of FAO is to support member countries develop the capacity of their statistical systems and enable them to collect, analyze, disseminate and use relevant, reliable and timely data. By strengthening countries’ capacity in this area, FAO contributes to make available key analytical and decision-making support tools for national, regional and global evidence-based actions.
How can national governments request capacity development assistance?
National governments should discuss on an ongoing basis their statistical capacity development needs and priorities directly with their FAO country office. These needs and priorities will usually be reflected in the Country programming framework (CPF) and support will be planned in consultation with the relevant technical units and regional or sub-regional statisticians. If assistance requests are raised, the FAO country office will contact the relevant technical divisions and regional or sub-regional statisticians to analyze how the support can be provided.
FAO statistical capacity development activities are funded through:
- Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP)
- Regular programme funds allocated to technical divisions
- Extra-budgetary programmes that support statistical development.
For specific information and inquiries on FAO capacity development programmes, national governments are also encouraged to contact these programmes directly.
Statistical capacity development programmes
SDG Monitoring
As the designated custodian agency for 21 SDG indicators, and a contributing agency for five others, FAO provides statistical capacity development support to countries on SDG monitoring and the measurement, dissemination and use of the indicators.
Support can be provided through regional and national-level capacity development activities in the following areas:
- comprehensive assessments of SDG data and capacity gaps;
- alignment of national SDG indicators with the global monitoring framework;
- development of SDG-compliant National Statistics Master Plans;
- SDG indicators methodologies and compilation methods (e.g., data disaggregation techniques, use of earth observation data);
- design and/or implementation of cost-effective data collection tools for compiling the 21 SDG indicators under FAO custodianship;
- analysis of results and use of SDG indicators in decision-making; and
- preparation of Voluntary National Reviews and national SDG reports.
Related capacity development resources
- Free E-learning courses on the SDG indicators under FAO custodianship
- Hands-on training workshops and webinars (calendar of events available on FAO SDG indicators webpages)
- Methodological documents and guidelines (available on FAO SDG indicators webpages and FAO Methods and standards subpage)
- Accelerating FAO support on SDG monitoring | Resources available
- Mainstreaming FAO Statistics and SDG Indicators into UNSDCF Formulation (Checklist)
Series of tools and resources for countries on data disaggregation:
- Alternative methods for disaggregating Sustainable Development Goal indicators using survey data (2022)
- Integrating surveys with geospatial data through small area estimation to disaggregate SDG indicators: A practical application on SDG Indicator 2.3.1 (2022)
- An indirect estimation approach for disaggregating SDG indicators using survey data - Case study based on SDG Indicator 2.1.2 (2022)
- Using small area estimation for data disaggregation of SDG indicators – A case study based on SDG Indicator 5.a.1 (2022)
- Guidelines on data disaggregation for SDG Indicators using survey data (2021)
- Applying the Degree of Urbanisation — A methodological manual to define cities, towns and rural areas for international comparisons (2021)
- European Commission | Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) and elearning course The Degree of Urbanisation
- IAEG-SDGs | Data Disaggregation for the SDG Indicators webpage