Methods and Standards

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In response to a growing demand for high-quality and internationally-comparable statistics, FAO develops, implements and promotes methods and standards to guide national data producers in generating and using sound statistics. In particular, the Organization is committed to provide national statistical systems with internationally recognized definitions, concepts and classifications as well as methodological guidance for the production of high quality statistics related to food and agriculture.

This interface allows you to search for statistical classifications, guidelines and handbooks, technical reports, working papers and methodological documents, and capacity development resources. You can search by SUBJECT (general, agriculture, forestry, fishery and aquaculture, and natural resources) or use the ADVANCED SEARCH to search by keyword, country, language and lead authoring unit/office. Comments, suggestions and inquiries can be addressed to: [email protected].

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You can access here all the statistical guidelines and handbooks, technical reports, working papers and methodological documents, and capacity development resources.

Type a keyword in the free text search box or refine your search by keyword, country, language and lead authoring unit/office. 

Comments, suggestions and inquiries can be addressed to: [email protected].

Gender and age dimensions in rural agricultural employment: analysis using Rural Livelihoods Information System (RuLIS)

Abstract: RuLIS is a tool to support policies for reducing rural poverty, jointly developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Statistics Division, the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). RuLIS brings together harmonized indicators and comparable data across countries and over time on rural incomes, livelihoods and rural development. Using the surveys that are processed as part of the RuLIS database project, this brief explores patterns and trends in rural employment for women and youth with a focus on agriculture in 16 low-income and lower-middle-income countries around the world: 11 from sub-Saharan Africa, two from East Asia and the Pacific, two from Latin America and the Caribbean, and one from Central Asia.

Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)

Technical report on the data quality of the WaPOR FAO database version 2

Abstract: This document presents the results of a validation of the version-2 of the WaPOR database, produced by the FRAME consortium partners, eLEAF and VITO. The report summarises the work done by the validation partner (ITC-UTwente) to assess the quality of the new V2 core data components, currently used to estimate and derive agricultural water productivity for Africa and the Near East. WaPOR represents a comprehensive open access data portal that provides information on biomass productivity (with focus on food and agriculture production) and evapotranspiration (evaporative losses and water use) for Africa and the Near East in near real time covering the period from 1 January 2009 to date. WaPOR offers continuous data on a 10-day average basis across Africa and the Near East at three spatial resolutions. The continental level-1 data (250m) cover entire Africa and the Near East (L1). The national level-2 (100m) data cover 21 countries and four river basins (L2). The third level-3 data (30m) cover eight irrigation areas (L3). The quality assessment focused on the core data of the WaPOR database i.e., the evaporative loss components: plant transpiration (T), soil evaporation (E) and interception (I) combined in ETI, the net primary productivity – NPP, the total (TBP) and above ground biomass productivity (AGBP) and reference evapotranspiration – RET.

Lead authoring unit/office: Land and Water Division (NSL)

Guidelines on the measurement of harvest and post-harvest losses. Findings from the field test on estimating harvest and postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables in Mexico. Field test report

Abstract: This technical report provides findings of field test conducted in identified states / districts / municipalities / study area in Mexico on the basis of sampling methodology for estimation of postharvest losses of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables) developed by the team led by Dr. Tauqueer Ahmad, Head, Division of Sample Surveys, Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, Institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR-IASRI), New Delhi, India. The Technical Report entitled “Findings from the field test conducted on estimating post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables in Mexico” contains details of findings of the developed methodology implemented in Mexico, including challenges encountered and lessons learnt. It is expected that this report will help the users from different countries in designing surveys for measurement of post-harvest losses of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables).

Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)

Guidelines on the measurement of harvest and post-harvest losses. Estimating harvest and post-harvest losses in Zambia Meat and milk. Field test report

Abstract: This technical report provides findings of a field test conducted in identified districts / study area in Zambia on the basis of sampling methodology for estimation of harvest and post-harvest losses of animal products (meat and milk) developed by the team led by Dr. Tauqueer Ahmad, Head, Division of Sample Surveys, Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, Institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR-IASRI), New Delhi, India. The Technical Report entitled “Findings from the field test conducted on estimating harvest and post-harvest losses in Zambia. Meat and milk” contains details of findings of the developed methodology implemented in Zambia including challenges encountered and lessons learnt. It is expected that this report will help the users from different countries in designing surveys for measurement of harvest and post-harvest losses of animal products (meat and milk).

Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)

FAO/Intake joint meeting report on dietary data collection, analysis and use

Abstract: This report provides a summary and highlights from a technical meeting on “Dietary Data Collection, Analysis and Use: Taking Stock of Country Experiences and Promising Practices in Low- and Middle-Income Countries”, jointly convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Intake Center for Dietary Assessment, on December 11–13, 2019 at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. The meeting, which brought together experts from 20 LMICs across different regions of the world, aimed overall to promote South–South learning, cross-regional networking, and the sharing of experiences with national (or large-scale), government-led, government-owned, quantitative 24-hour dietary recall surveys in LMICs.

Lead authoring unit/office: FAO

Measuring vegetable crops area and production. Technical report on a pilot survey in two districts of Ghana. Final report

Abstract: Prepared by the Global Strategy to improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics, this Report introduces and discusses the problem of measuring area and yield of vegetable crops, by exploring and testing methods such as farmer inquiry and objectives measurement and to propose a methodology for the production of data and statistics. A pilot test has been performed in two selected districts in Ghana to assess the methodology and the workability of the methods.

Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)

Measuring inadequate employment in Kenya: Field test report for decent work within an agricultural context in developing countries

Abstract: Prepared by the Global Strategy to improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSARS), this technical report presents different dimensions of employment and underemployment within agricultural households in three communities in Kenya.

Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)

Master Sampling Frames (MSF) for fishery and aquaculture statistics

Abstract: This publication provides guidance for a statistical office to use when forming an MSF. The goals of this document are to (1) describe a process for building, maintaining and using MSFs; (2) discuss interrelations among survey objectives, core data elements, construction of sampling frames, estimation, and archival of results; and (3) offer guidance for using multiple sources of information. The statistical office will need to consider how the directives presented in this document apply to a particular situation. When deciding on an MSF approach, the statistical office should consider the ultimate uses of the collected data and the desired estimates.

Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)

Pilot tests of an international definition of urban-rural territories. Summary report

Abstract: Prepared by the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSARS), this Technical Report aims to develop an international definition of rural areas and indicators of rural development. Countries participating in the pilots are the following: Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Malaysia, Pakistan and United States of America (USA).

Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)

Methodology for definition and spatial delimitation of rural areas

Abstract: Prepared by the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSARS), this Technical Report aims to present the methodology implemented for the spatial delimitation and production of statistics of rural areas and the results obtained.

Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)

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