50x2030 Partners with Ministries of Agriculture to Onboard Several West African Countries to Initiative

From 27 February to 3 March, 2023, the 50x2030 Program Management Team (PMT) traveled to West Africa to meet with several Ministries of Agriculture to jointly launch country participation in the Initiative. The countries visited during the mission include Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, and Benin. Each Minister of Agriculture has engaged with the 50x2030 Initiative to achieve key agriculture objectives through improved data and capacity for use in policy development.

During joint meetings with Ministries of Agriculture and NSOs, the 50x2030 PMT outlined the objectives of the Initiative: (i) support the efficiency and quality of agricultural statistical production, (ii) strengthen the capacities of data users for the formulation of evidence-based policy (iii) improve the availability of data for users of the national statistical system and (iv) strengthen coordination within the national statistical system. These objectives are achieved through technical assistance to the stakeholders of the National Statistical System via training in new methods for collecting, processing, disseminating, and using data as well as by setting up a national coordination group that aims to strengthen the coordination mechanisms of actors involved in agricultural statistics.

During the mission, Program Implementation Plans were appropriately tailored to each country’s needs and received support from respective Ministers of Agriculture. This document details the survey program, monitoring indicators, training activities and governance modalities of the project. Timelines for the launch of technical assistance and key activities are also included in this document to establish next steps in each country.

The 50x2030 PMT thanks each Ministry for their partnership and essential support in making the Initiative a success in promoting cultures of data use for agricultural policy development.