Under the projects MTF/GLO/345/BMG "CountrySTAT for Sub-Saharan Africa – Phase II", UTF/UEM/002/UEM "Support for the implementation and development of CountrySTAT system in GuineaBissau, Niger, Togo and UEMOA Commission Headquarters" and GTFS/RAF/465/ITA "Strengthening capacity of selected member countries of the East African Community in agricultural statistics for food security" FAO is organizing in Casablanca (Morocco), from 01 to 03 December 2013, the CountrySTAT Consultative Meeting with the participation of national coordinators of CountrySTAT and representatives of regional and international organizations.

 The purpose of the Consultative Meeting on CountrySTAT is to present:

• Main achievements and lessons learned from the CountrySTAT projects;
• Innovations in the CountrySTAT system using the FENIX platform as well as future technological developments (Open data network for sharing agriculture and food security information – a new perspective for global, regional and national level systems, Focus on technologies – service-oriented architecture, web-based geospatial data management tools, semantic search engines and mobile data collection);
• Best Practices of the CountrySTAT System : Ownership and sustainability, Increased data availability/accessibility through the national One-Stop-Centre on food and agriculture statistics, Implementing the CountrySTAT Institutional Framework and strengthening collaboration with the Key National Structures, Positive Impact made in countries through the Partnership;
• Vision for the future of CountrySTAT: Strengthening sustainable development of rural and agricultural statistical information targeting better integration of new scalable information technologies, to support food security and decision-making based on facts.

The opening ceremony will start at 09.00 hours on Sunday, 01 December 2013 at Oum Palace Hotel in Casablanca.

 CountrySTAT is a web-based information technology system for food and agriculture statistics at regional, national and sub national levels. CountrySTAT has been developed using cutting-edge open-source technology and is part of the FAOSTAT family, and benefits from the same technology (FENIX platform) implemented for the new FAOSTAT system.

CountrySTAT’s objective is to improve access to food and agricultural statistics, which can support data analysis, facilitate monitoring and evidence-based decision making with the goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.

CountrySTAT, as a one stop centre, centralizes, harmonizes, standardizes, integrates and validates data on food and agriculture coming from different sources. The CountrySTAT network aims to ensure the ownership and long-term sustainability of the system by building capacity of a pool of regional and national experts.

Data provided through CountrySTAT serves researchers, policymakers, development organizations, and the private sector to design and implement better policy and investments in agriculture.