The 29th Session of the African Commission on Agricultural Statistics (AFCAS29) opened in Hammamet, Tunisia, emphasizing the urgent need for high-quality agricultural statistics to support Africa’s agrifood systems. Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Tunisian government, the event brought together statistics experts from over 40 African countries under the theme “Effective Partnerships and Leveraging Statistics for Transforming Africa’s Agrifood Systems.”
H.E. Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh, Tunisia’s Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, highlighted the strategic value of timely and reliable agricultural data, stating that development in the sector is impossible without it. FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, reinforced this point, noting that accurate data enables farmers, policymakers, and stakeholders to make informed decisions, enhancing efficiency, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability across agrifood systems.
FAO Chief Statistician José Rosero Moncayo warned that persistent data gaps limit Africa’s ability to monitor agriculture effectively. Many countries still lack information on land use, fertilizer and pesticide application, and plant and water resources, and less than half report core agricultural production figures. He emphasized the need for stronger efforts to improve the availability, consistency, and reliability of agricultural statistics across the continent.
During the week-long session, participants will review progress on key priorities, including the implementation of the 50×2030 Initiative aimed at establishing robust, regular agricultural surveys in 50 countries by 2030, with 23 countries currently participating. Updates on the 2030 World Programme for the Census of Agriculture, improvements in compiling Food Balance Sheets, and challenges in fisheries and forest statistics will also be discussed. Participants will explore the use of geospatial data, big data, and machine learning to address data gaps, strengthen early-warning systems, and share experiences to shape a regional agenda on innovative statistical approaches.
The session will also cover developments in Agricultural Science and Technology indicators, the newly established Food Security and Nutrition statistical domain, and other topics essential for evidence-based policymaking. Established in 1962, AFCAS serves as FAO’s primary regional forum for advancing agricultural and rural statistics, setting methodological standards, and guiding member states on the production, harmonization, and use of high-quality data. Through its biennial sessions, AFCAS fosters collaboration among African countries and supports the development of robust statistical systems that underpin informed agricultural and agrifood policy decisions.
