CHALLENGES OF FSN INFORMATION IN ZANZIBAR

CHALLENGES OF FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION & EARLY WARNING INFORMATION IN ZANZIBAR

Friday, December 21st, 2012

1) Constraints/Challenges with FSN& EW Information in Zanzibar

Timely availability, accessibility, quality and reliability of data

2) Main data gaps observed in specific sectors3) Specific Sector Recommendations 4) General Recommendations

Outline

1) Inadequate skilled, right, trainable people and institutional capacities No systematic training and skills

development in data collection, compilation and analysis both at national and district levels. This has resulted into poor quality of available data.

In addition, much of the accumulated routine data on food security and nutrition has remained unanalyzed.

1). Constraints cont.’.d

2) Weak information management structure Inadequate coordination among various

institutions involved in planning, design, and implementation of routine data collection, analysis and dissemination.

Low visibility and clear authority of the champion in FSN information management system

Inadequate capacity and supervision in data collection

Constraints cont’d

3. Absence of a clear FSN information/indicator framework Consensus on what information to be

collected.


4) Lack of harmonized, comprehensive and standardized methodology, tools for data collection & analysis

What is the level of accuracy and validity of the data collected at the shehia, district, national and inter-state levels?

Do data producers use appropriate tools?Why is routine agricultural, livestock and

trade data across respective sectors and OCGS is contradictory!


5) Weak information management systems (Analysis, storage and dissemination) Inadequate priority given to data processing

and storage No basic software and hardware (the

network) for data processing . Inexistence of mechanisms for wider

dissemination of routine data from various sources to target audiences e.g. OCGS. This increases the intensity of contradictory data across respective sectors.


6) Absence of Incentives Is there political will, internal and external

demand needed for the FSN information system to work and be sustained

Do stakeholders perceive the FSN Information System as useful in decision making or as a bureaucratic task?

Examples of common incentives/stimuli : Clarity of M&E responsibility in job descriptions and work plans Salaries and other rewards such as housing and vehicle appropriate use for work Making financial and other support resources easily available Professional development for career advancement.


7) Government funding/Financing is inadequate. Most of the ongoing data collection is done

through project support. This has often led to low coverage and discontinuity in data collection once the projects are completed

Solid and systematic learning costs money. Cost varies between 2.5% and 10 %.

Financial resources are needed for the time people spend, for supporting information management systems, training, transport etc.

Constraint cont…

A: Department of Agriculture Crop acreage statistics are routinely collected on

limited number of food crops. Data on cash crops such as spices and fruits used to be excluded .

Inadequate staff capabilities in areas of data processing, analysis and storage,

Poor facilities for data storage, processing and dissemination at national level.

2). Main data gaps observed in specific sectors

B: Department of Trade Unavailability of data for seasonal consumption, demand

and prices of locally produced food items Improper methodology of data collection Inadequate capacity of staff and poor facilities. No standardized format for data collection. Data is

inconsistently recorded and kept in different un-calibrated units e.g. packets and cubic meters. Difficult to estimate the actual quantities and values of imported commodities.

Data is too general –indicated as food items Re-exports are sometimes recorded or deducted from

imports.

Main data gaps observed cont…

C: Ministry Of Health(Nutrition Unit)Existing Growth Monitoring and Promotion

(GMP) data provides mostly information on children less than two years and captures only weight for age and not under five years (U5).

Demographic heath survey reveals data up to the regional level while FSN data needed extends up district level.


Vitamin A Deficiency data The national nutritional survey on Vitamin A

Deficiency (VAD) covered only Unguja Island. No baseline data is available for Pemba Island.

Impact of Vitamin A supplementation has not been assessed and so the current status is not known.

DHS on VAD likewise is up to regional level.


Iron deficiency data No baseline data to gauge the status of Iron

deficiency across various age categories. Iron Supplementation interventions are not

recorded. So, there is no data to measure coverage and impact.

DHS is much concerned with regional data.


Iodine Deficiency data DHS does not capture data collection up to

District level.Therefore it is not yet possible to have

information regarding Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) for the Districts.


D: Ministry of Education & Vocational Training (MoEVT)No data is available concerning the health

status of school children, such as Iodine deficiency (goiter), Vitamin A Deficiencies, anemia and nutritional status


Departments of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries

Train HH farmers in simple record keeping & management

Jointly create awareness and build capacity of BEOS and group leaders on data collection

Formulate tools to register agricultural and livestock statistics on routine basis.

3). Specific Recommendations

Departments of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries

Establish and keep a register of agricultural and livestock information at Shehia level.

Facilitate and supervise activities of focal data collection persons/committees at the shehia and district level.

Conduct baseline study to establish the start-up missing crop and livestock data

Specific Recommendations cont…

Department of Trade (Statistical Unit )Design a standardized format and methodology

of data collectionFacilitate and train MTTI staff and relevant

actors involved including traders, customs officials, MANR and MLF


Nutrition UnitOrganize sensitization seminars at District and Community

levels to promote participation of post partum women & community members in GMP activities at health facilities.

Engage the OCGS to ensure DHS covers nutritional data up to the District levels

Work jointly with Districts Management Teams to revive Health Days as a way to monitor Child Survival and Promotion at Shehia level.

Provide GMP facilities such as weighing scales at the Shehia level.

Provide technical advice & support to DMT in GMP


Nutrition Unit Design appropriate questionnaire jointly with OCGS as a tool

to access the health status of U5 to including GMP indicators and integrate it into the regular DHS Survey to cover the Districts.

NU, FSN and OCGS plans for inclusion micro-nutrients parameters (Iodine, Iron and Vitamin A) in the DHS to cover up to District level as well.

Collaborate with (MoEVT) & revive School Health Programmes to establish routine checking of student’s health status including goiter surveillance.

Develop a dissemination mechanism for nutrition data (Village Health Days; MCH clinics and media )


Improve methodologies used in agricultural routine data collection, processing and dissemination.

Institute data feedback mechanisms between data sources and central data processing units to ensure relevance of data that is collected and increased coordination between data producers and users.

4). General Recommendations

Planning meetings of data producers and major data users will allow a common understanding of policy issues and related data requirements.

It will also enhance dissemination of FSN data for subsequent planning monitoring and evaluation at all levels.

General Recommendations cont..

Improve linkages and mechanisms of data dissemination with OCGS.

A strong linkage between Central Policy & Planning Departments of Sector Ministries and OCGS is needed to avoid conflicting sets of data, improve authenticity and ownership of data from sector ministries,

A clear and standardized mechanism for data dissemination should be designed for each Sector Ministry to facilitate timely accessibility of data as required for OCGS final use and dissemination.

Central Policy & Planning Departments of sector ministries should be responsible for final dissemination of all sub sectoral data.


Build capacities of M&E staff & key institutions. Effective collection of relevant information

including data processing and analysis requires Institutional strengthening .

Increase staffing and equipments of the statistical units of the sector ministries,

Organize specialized staff training in data collection, processing, analysis and Management.


Improve linkages between M&E teams & SUA/FBS compilation unit.

Compilation of Supply Utilization Accounts requires continuous input and smooth flow of data for production, imports, export, consumption and processing of crops, livestock, fish and their derivatives.


Urgently undertake baseline studies for routine indicators without baseline information so as to set a point of reference for subsequent monitoring purposes.

Incorporate some of the M&E indicators in the existing national surveys such as HBS and DHS

Collaboration between respective FSN institutions and OCGS in design of questionnaires for forthcoming surveys needed.


THANKS

Documents

CHALLENGES OF FSN INFORMATION IN ZANZIBAR