Example of a Decentralized Agricultural Statistics System · Global Strategy IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL STATISTICS IN ASIA PACIFIC Example of a Decentralized Agricultural Statistics

Global Strategy IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL STATISTICS

IN ASIA PACIFIC

Example of a Decentralized Agricultural Statistics System

– Japan’s case-

Yohei Kunikane ([email protected] )

Technical Officer on Agricultural Statistics, FAO Bangkok

Workshop on SPARS, Bangladesh, 15 November 2015

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mailto:[email protected]

Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics – Asia Pacific

Outline

1. Overview of Official Statistics in Japan i. National Statistical System ii. Legislative Framework for Official Statistics

2. Main Features of Agricultural Statistics in Japan i. Administrative Framework for Agr. Statistics ii. Mechanism for Collecting Agr. Statistics iii. Role of Agr. Statistics in Policymaking iv. Mechanism for Disseminating Agr. Statistics v. Mechanism for Identifying Data Needs

3. Conclusion

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• Decentralized by subjects with a coordination authority – Individual ministries

• have their own statistical departments • collect statistics alongside their administrative activities

– Director-general for policy planning (Statistical Standards)

• located in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)

• coordinates statistical activities among line ministries

– Statistics Commission • located in the Cabinet Office • researches and deliberates important matters related to

official statistics • provides advice to ministers

1. Overview of Official Statistics in Japan i. National Statistical System (1)

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Cabinet Office -Economic & Social Research Institute

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) -Statistics Bureau

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) -Statistics Department

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) -Statistics & Information Dep.

Statistics-producing Agencies

National Accounts, etc.

Census of Agriculture & Forest, Census of Fisheries, etc.

Vital Statistics, Labor Survey, etc.

Coordination Agencies

Statistics Commission

DG for Policy Planning (Statistical Standards)

Population Census, etc.

Statistics Surveys

Other Ministries -Statistics Department

Other surveys

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Cabinet Office

MIC


• More details of Statistics Commission and DG for Policy Planning – Statistics Commission

• ToR: As a third party organization to conduct neutral, fair and specialized research and deliberation, the Statistics Commission was established in the Cabinet Office in October 2007.

• Composition: The Commission consists of 13 or less academic experts, who conduct research and deliberate on the designation of fundamental statistics or the approval of statistical surveys in response to consultation with the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and also on the draft basic plan for the development of official statistics. The Commission has 7 sub-committees and agricultural statistics matters are addressed in the industry statistics committee

• Mandates: – 1) To respond to requests for consultation by the state minister/director-general of

the agency, and – 2) To study and deliberate important matters including examining statistical surveys,

revising statistical standards, and coordinating and integrating statistical activities. – 3) Furthermore, the commission might submit a recommendation to the state

minister on these matters when necessary.

• Frequency of meetings: The Commission is organized nearly every month, and the organization of sub-committees are depended on the number of matters


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• More details of Statistics Commission and DG for Policy Planning – DG for Policy Planning

• ToR: As the cross-sectional coordination organization of the Japanese government with respect to government statistics, the DG provides coordination in accordance with the Statistics Act

• Mandates: – 1) To draw up a draft basic plan stipulated by a cabinet decision in order to promote

comprehensive and systematic development of official statistics in the whole government.

– 2) To make preparations for deliberation of statistical survey plans, etc. in the Statistics Commission and take necessary steps to realize the commission’s recommendations.

– 3) To examine implementation guidelines of statistical surveys, and to promote the development of statistical systems, elimination of overlapping surveys and reduction of response burden on the public.

– 4) To review plans to implement statistical surveys from technical aspects soon after receiving budget requests from ministries for statistical surveys, and furnish the Ministry of Finance (Budget Bureau) with an opinion so that the opinion can be reflected in the budget.

– 5) To establish various standards for statistics and improve the compatibility and comparability of statistics.

• Examples of some coordination activities


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• Definition and mission of official statistics – stipulated by the Statistics Act

• Statistical organizations and duties

– stipulated by Orders for organizations of ministries • e.g. Order for organization of the MAFF

• Detailed methodologies used by individual surveys – stipulated by ministerial and prefectural rules about

individual surveys after consultation and approval by Statistics Commission through DG for Policy Planning

1. Overview of Official Statistics in Japan ii. Legislative Framework for Official Statistics (1)

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• The current Statistics Act was promulgated on May 2007, covering all official statistics.

• Key features of the Act

– requires development of “Master Plan for Official Statistics” with an annual follow-up scheme

– promotes the use of statistical data, including microdata provision for academic purposes

– establishes the Statistics Commission as a neutral and fair deliberative council on official statistics

1. Overview of Official Statistics in Japan ii. Legislative Framework for Official Statistics (2)

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Outline



3. Conclusion

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2. Main Features of Agricultural Statistics in Japan i. Administrative Framework for Agricultural Statistics (1)

Local organizations Central organization

Statistics Department

MAFF (Head Office)

Regional Agricultural

Administration

Office (9 offices) Branch

(51 branches)

(Prefecture level) (Regional level)

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Hokkaido

Tohoku

Kanto

Hokuriku

Tokai

Kinki Chugoku-shikoku

Kyusyu

Okinawa

Agricultural regions in Japan Regional Offices are located in

each region. Branches are located in each

prefecture.

2. Main Features of Agricultural Statistics in Japan i. Administrative Framework for Agricultural Statistics (2)

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• There are 29 official statistical surveys in agricultural, forestry and fishery sectors.

• Data collecting activities are sponsored and conducted by MAFF.

• Agr. statistics covers four main categories: – Basic Agricultural Structure

– Economic Activities of Farmers

– Resources and Production

– Distribution of Agricultural Products

2. Main Features of Agricultural Statistics in Japan ii. Mechanism for Collecting Agr. Statistics (1)

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• Basic Agricultural structure – Census of agriculture and forestry (every 5 years) – Survey on movement of agricultural structure (yearly)

• Economic activities of farmers – Survey on farm management and economy (yearly) – Survey on agricultural production costs (yearly)

• Resources and production – Statistics on cultivated land and planted area (yearly) – Statistics on crops (yearly) – Statistics on livestock (yearly)

• Distribution of agricultural products – Statistics on milk and dairy products (monthly, yearly) – Survey on wholesale markets of fruits and vegetables (daily, monthly,

every 5 years)

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2. Main Features of Agricultural Statistics in Japan ii. Mechanism for Collecting Agr. Statistics (2)


• Setting policy objective and basis for evaluation – Basic Plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas

– Forecast for supply and demand of rice

– Food self-sufficiency ratio

• Providing criteria for implementing policy measures – National Disaster Financial Act

– Stabilization system for production and shipment of vegetables and fruits

• Providing calculation base for gov. expenditure – Subsidy rates – e.g. farming income stabilization measures

2. Main Features of Agricultural Statistics in Japan iii. Role of Agr. Statistics in Policymaking

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• Release Survey Results – present results at press conferences – announce results on MAFF official website, Facebook

page and Twitter account – distribute statistical reports to libraries, prefectural

governments, etc.

• Public Relations in Various Events – Statistical Data/Graph Fair – Festival of Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

• Contribute Survey Results to Various Magazines – e.g. academic journal of agricultural economics

2. Main Features of Agricultural Statistics in Japan iv. Mechanism for Disseminating Agr. Statistics

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• Needs for administrative activities

– maintain close collaboration and communication between administrative and statistical staff

• Needs for academic and research activities

– set up study group to examine design of questionnaire

– consider results of deliberations of the Statistics Committee

2. Main Features of Agricultural Statistics in Japan v. Mechanisms of Identifying Agr. Data Needs

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Outline



3. Conclusion

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• National statistical system in Japan is decentralized with a coordination authority.

• Basic legislative framework of official statistics is provided by the Statistics Act.

• Agricultural statistics collection activities are sponsored and conducted by MAFF.

• Challenges faced by agr. statistics: – respond to downsizing budget and workforce

• e.g. review of research method and sample design, expand the use of administrative information

– expand the area of the survey to encompass diversification of agriculture-related activities • e.g. cross-sector collaboration with other ministries

3. Conclusion

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Thank you very much!

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Example of a Decentralized Agricultural Statistics System · Global Strategy IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL STATISTICS IN ASIA PACIFIC Example of a Decentralized Agricultural Statistics