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.
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Abstract: A study was conducted in two Agriculture Development District (ADDs) of Malawi, Salima and Lilongwe, to pilot a new methodology for estimating on-farm harvest and post-harvest losses. The study was carried-out with technical support from the Global strategy to improve agricultural and rural statistics (GSARS) of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This pilot exercise principally aimed at strengthening the capacity of Malawi in generating reliable estimates on post-harvest losses. The data collection was carried out using a household questionnaire which was specifically developed for this exercise. The analysis of the results showed that a significant amount of farm produce is lost during harvesting, followed by threshing. The study also highlighted that on-time harvesting and use of chemicals are considered by farmers as the most effective strategies for preventing on-farm losses, even though farmers are not always in a position to implement these strategies. The authors recommend that a solid baseline on harvest and post-harvest losses be established by replicating on a larger scale this pilot survey for three consecutive years, to account for weather variation and other exogenous factors which may affect losses. The survey would benefit from the integration with existing country-wide data collection systems such as the Agricultural production estimates survey (APES) to ensure low operational costs and sustainability. It is also recommended that Computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) should be introduced for future exercises to improve on data quality and timeliness
Abstract: In the framework of the Global strategy to improve agriculture and rural statistics (GSARS), FAO provided technical assistance to Zimbabwe on the measurement of harvest and post-harvest losses through sample surveys. The technical assistance was provided in the form of a pilot study on estimating harvest and post-harvest losses for major crops in the Makonde district in the communal and A1 farming sectors. The survey focused on maize and sorghum and included the measurement of on-farm losses. The survey captured losses through interviews of farmers as well as through physical measurements. The number of usable data points for sorghum were too few to provide reliable production and loss estimates, hence the results presented in this report mostly refer to maize. The results show that 5.2 percent of grain is lost at harvest and 3.8 percent lost at drying. The comparison of the loss estimates according to the measurement method used shows mixed results; in A1 farming sectors, farmers’ own loss estimates tend to be lower than physical measurement, while the opposite is evidenced in the communal sector (except for drying). Timely harvesting was used by most farmers to limit losses, followed by stooking when harvesting and the use of chemicals to protect crops from pest infestations during storage. Keywords: Post-harvest losses, Zimbabwe, Makonde, Grains
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
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)
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)
Abstract: One of the main pillars of food security is food supply, which refers to the availability of sufficient quantities of food of appropriate quality, supplied through domestic production or imports. In this paper, we use quantities of commercialized foods from the Supply and Utilization Accounts (SUA) compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to analyze trends in food available for consumption based on by region and country income level group. Results show that, in general, food groups available for consumption differ across income-level country groups. There are nonetheless evident regional trends. Low-income and lower-middle-income countries have a high reliance on staple foods, and only upper-middle-income countries and Asia have enough fruits and vegetables available to meet the FAO/World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of consuming a minimum of 400 grams per day. In addition, the availability of animal-source foods, as well as sugars and fats, overall is highest in high-income countries, but it is increasing fast in upper-middle-income countries. This document is part of FAO Statistics Working Paper Series.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: In recent decades, the occurrence of climate- and weather-related disasters has increased, and globally, a vast number of agricultural livelihoods are compromised each year, with far-reaching effects on food security and ecosystems. This course is part of a series which aim to introduce the FAO Damage and Loss (D&L) methodology, developed by FAO to support countries to generate precise and holistic data for the agricultural sector. This can be used for national Disaster Risk Reduction/Management, resilience and to help monitor the achievement of global targets. (Released in: September 2020; 55 min of learning)
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: This e-learning course provides an overview of the System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA) Central Framework, the statistical standard to measure the relationship between the economy and the environment. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting 2012—Central Framework is a multipurpose conceptual framework for measuring the interactions between the environment and the economy. By providing an internationally agreed standard with agreed concepts, definitions and classifications, the SEEA is an invaluable tool for compiling integrated statistics on the economy and the environment and deriving coherent and comparable indicators to measure progress towards sustainable development.
Lead authoring unit/office: United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
Abstract: The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (SEEA-AFF) is a statistical framework that facilitates description and analysis of agriculture, forestry and fisheries as economic activities and their relationship with the environment. It extends to these primary sectors the environmental-economic structure and principles of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting Central Framework (SEEA-CF), an official UN statistical standard. The SEEA-AFF defines core national accounting tables, easily integrated into synthetic view tables, provided as a basis for the measurement and reporting of information on physical and monetary assets and flows accounts on natural resource use, production, trade and consumption of food and other agricultural products. It thus offers countries a robust statistical structure for the development of agri-environmental indicators, including SDGs, which can be monitored in a transparent, coherent and internationally comparable manner.
Lead authoring unit/office: United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
Abstract: This paper presents the FAO Damage and Loss Assessment Methodology as a framework for identifying, analyzing and evaluating the impact of disasters on agriculture, including crops, livestock, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry. Its potential is explored as a strategic tool for assembling and interpreting new or existing information to inform risk-related policy decision-making and planning. It is part of FAO Statistics Working Paper Series.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: The methodological work required to develop the 5.a.1 protocol was carried out by the Evidence and Data for Gender Equality (EDGE) project, an initiative jointly executed by the United Nations Statistics Division and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in collaboration with National Statistical Offices, the Asian Development Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank.
Lead authoring unit/office: FAO
