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].
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].
Abstract: FAO is committed to scaling up support to countries to ensure that high quality and comparable data for the SDGs are produced and used in support to decision-making and SDG national, regional and global monitoring. The Organization has developed regional roadmaps to ensure that this support is embedded in FAO’s cooperation framework and activities at country level. This document, prepared by FAO’s Office of the Chief Statistician, contains a wealth of relevant information which can support countries in producing, analyzing and using SDG indicators, as well as understanding how they can receive support from FAO.
Lead authoring unit/office: Office of Chief Statistician (OCS)
Abstract: This technical report presents a case study based on the so-called “projection estimator”, allowing the integration of two independent surveys for the production of synthetic disaggregated estimates. In particular, the publication presents a practical exercise focused on the production of disaggregated estimates for SDG Indicator 2.1.2, on the Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity in the population based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). It complements the Guidelines on data disaggregation for SDG Indicators using survey data (FAO, 2021), which offer methodological and practical guidance for the production of direct and indirect estimates of SDG indicators having surveys as their main or preferred data source.
Lead authoring unit/office: Office of Chief Statistician (OCS)
Abstract: This paper is part of a series detailing new methodologies for estimating key components of agri-food systems emissions, with a view to disseminate the information in FAOSTAT. It describes methods for estimating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuel-based energy use in agri-food systems processes outside agricultural land, i.e. those associated with pre- and post-production activities – in an effort to inform countries of the environmental impacts of agri-food systems and the possible options to reduce them.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: Monitoring public spending devoted to food and agriculture is a critical policy analysis tool to better understand agricultural public expenditure and how it affects agricultural development, food security and economic growth. This course will equip you with the skills to carry out your public expenditure analysis, looking at total amounts and breakdown of spending. This will allow you to better monitor areas that are underinvested or those that have higher returns on investment, identify budget bottlenecks and prioritize spending, in line with national development objectives. The analysis and results can then be used to shape and influence policymaking on food and agriculture expenditure and investments.
Lead authoring unit/office: FAO
Abstract: Knowing how policies influence prices at different stages of the value chain, such as at producer, wholesale and retail level, is fundamental to determine if changes in policy are needed to encourage production or ensure food security. Through price incentives indicators, we can monitor the effects of agricultural policies to see whether they incentivise - or disincentivise - farmers or traders to produce or market an agricultural commodity. This course explains how to produce these indicators, what data you need and how to calculate and analyse them in order to shape and optimise public policy for agri-food systems transformation.
Lead authoring unit/office: FAO
Abstract: On the road to Glasgow COP26, FAO Land and Water Division, as coordinator of the UN-Water Expert Group on Water Scarcity, is now releasing a new Brief on Water Use Efficiency (WUE) to advance climate goals through water-energy nexus lens, across all sectors, to ensure sustainable use of freshwater in preventing water scarcity. This Brief provides an analytical basis for water-related policy interventions to implement Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 6.4.1, increasing water-use efficiency across all sectors and addresses: who will benefit from the adoption of water-use efficiency measures? what’s the difference between water efficiency and efficient use?
Lead authoring unit/office: Land and Water Division (NSL)
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)
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. This brief uses data from RuLIS to estimate the contribution of income from crop and livestock production to households’ total annual income. The shares in total income are also analysed across expenditure quintiles. The brief aims at exploring the importance of income from on-farm agricultural sources in rural livelihoods.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
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 RuLIS data, this brief focuses on the observations made in the adoption of agricultural inputs, along with improved technology such as irrigation, and mechanised tools among crop farm households in sub-Saharan Africa.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
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 RuLIS data, this brief focuses on weather and geophysical shocks, and crop or livestock disease-related shocks, along with the coping strategies used by the affected households.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
