Advancing Decision-Making in Agriculture: In-depth Data Processing Training in Harare

From 18th to 29th September 2023, a training workshop on data processing using advanced statistical software tools was organized by the GSARS-II Global Coordination Office in Harare, Zimbabwe. Led by Michele Rocca, the workshop was designed to provide participants with comprehensive knowledge. The goal of the workshop was to equip participants with skills in survey data analysis, data editing, imputation, and estimation. By the end of the program, attendees were expected to be proficient in generating meaningful statistics pertinent to the agricultural and rural sectors. 

This training was part of a larger initiative by the Global Strategy for the Improvement of Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSARS). Over the ten-day workshop, participants familiarized themselves with the foundational functions and syntax of the software tools. This was complemented by hands-on tutorials on data cleaning, manipulation, and imputation using agricultural survey data. For those seeking a more detailed understanding, annexes are available, shedding light on the list of participants and feedback from the workshop's evaluation. 

The enthusiasm and dedication of the participants were truly remarkable. Their active participation and commitment to the exercises underscored their keen interest in the subject matter. The workshop's smooth flow was greatly facilitated by the unwavering support from local liaisons, Tendai Mugara and Trish Dlamini. 

To conclude, the success of this workshop owes much to the support from the FAO country office in Zimbabwe. Additionally, our appreciation goes to the EU and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their generous financial backing. Their combined support played a crucial role in making this workshop a success.