Farming data touted vital for sector’s growth

Sylvester Domasa

AGRICULTURAL experts have urged state and non-state actors to invest on systems to collect, store and disseminate statistics, saying inadequate data was hindering agricultural production in the region.

They said for decades-long, African countries been facing limited systems, suggesting that it was high time the region joined forces to improve data for the agriculture sector.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Florens Turuka, said timely and quality data usage can enhance food security and thus spur economic development.
The PS said at a five-day regional workshop on the validation of the minimum set of agriculture core data in African countries held in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
“There is still a challenge of having reliable data for the formulation, monitoring and implementation of agricultural policies thus needing concrete measures to address it.
He said in Tanzania, the sector accounts for about 35 per cent of the GDP and 70 per cent of employment.
The workshop brought representatives from 25 countries in African to chart ways on effective implementation of the continent’s strategy for improving agricultural statistics.