The March 9th session focused on ensuring data is available in order to help countries measure progress, identify shortcomings and support sustainable development. Carletto introduced GRAInS, a partnership for improving the availability and quality of SDGs on agriculture and beyond. Carletto highlighted GRAInS’ objectives: Conduct methodological research and develop new standards and tools to improve accuracy and cost-effectiveness of integrated surveys on agriculture; pilot and scale up implementation of Agricultural Integrated Surveys (AGRIS) by FAO; coordinate institutional programs towards improved harmonization and integration; advocate and fundraise for scaling-up implementation of integrated surveys on agriculture; and promote public access and greater use of microdata. Carletto explained that the central functions of GRAInS include methodological research and standard settings, coordination across initiatives, advocacy for household and farm surveys, managing common funding and fundraising. Carletto emphasized GRAInS’ key rationale: A need for greater reliance on multiple data resources, a recognized need for improved harmonization and coordination among partners and the need to move beyond indicators, which requires different types of surveys.

The GRAInS Steering Committee will provide strategic guidance, review and advise on funding allocations to major activities, monitor progress and endorse its annual report, including the financial report. When selecting countries to implement the GRAInS program, Carletto explained that partners evaluate on certain criteria: Countries must have a nationally endorsed strategic plan for agricultural and rural statistics, and countries must have a buy-in, a commitment to increasingly assume the funding responsibilities of the surveys the grant initiatives support. Carletto noted that GRAInS will be piloting in Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, 1 Asian country, and 1 Latin American country. Next, GRAInS will scale up to fifteen more countries. Gero Carletto and Kecuk Suhariyanto concluded by emphasizing that efficiency, first-and-foremost, needs to be improved in order to achieve progress.

Meeting: Measuring up to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Contributions from FAO

Date/Location: Thursday, 09 March 2017; 1:15 to 2:30; UN Headquarters, Conference Room 8

Speakers: Carla Mucavi, Director of FAO NY; Pietro Gennari, FAO Chief Statistician; Aboubacar Beye, Director General, National Statistics and Demographic Agency (ANSD), Senegal; Kecuk Suhariyanto, Director General, Central Agency on Statistics (BPS), Indonesia; Gero Carletto, Manager, LSMS, Development Data Group, World Bank

Written By: Na-Yeon Park, WIT Representative