The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union (EU) have stepped up actions to improve food and agricultural statistics in Tajikistan.

Food balance sheets are combined and analytical data sets introducing a thorough depiction of a country’s food supply pattern within a reference period. They provide information on the availability of every food item on per capita basis suitable for human consumption in terms of quantity, calories, protein and fats.

With a workshop on April 3 in Dushanbe, efforts to improve methodology and parameters of food balance sheets concluded.  The project was supported by the European Union and implemented by FAO in close cooperation with the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan.

According to FAO Country Office in Tajikistan, the workshop participants included representatives of the three organizations, and other key partner organizations.

During the workshop, participants reportedly reviewed the improved methodology, as well as worked on recommendations to improve of food balance sheet parameters, developed and approved by relevant national partners.  Also, further projects on schemes for each food product and parameter necessary for food balance sheet preparation were discussed.

“High quality food balance sheets contain the information necessary to analyze the food supply situation of Tajikistan. They can indicate the adequacy of food supply in relation to the nutritional requirement of the population,” emphasized FAO Representative, Oleg Guchgeldiyev. “Food balance sheets are a valuable tool assisting decision makers in designing, planning and assessing policies and programs related to food security and nutrition.”

Timely and reliable statistical information is one of the most important prerequisite for formulating sound development plans and policies that aimed at improving efficiency of production and distribution of food and agricultural products. With this, it contributes to raising living standards.

Since its establishment in 1945, FAO has centered great emphasis on the proper development of comprehensive food and agricultural statistics as the only sound basis for the analysis of the food and nutrition situation and for action to improve it.

Activities related to improve methodology and parameters of food balance sheets are the part of the FAO project “Strengthening Institutions and Capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and State Veterinary Inspection Service for Policy Formulation,” funded by the European Union.  The main objective of the project is to assist the government in institutional reforms of the agricultural sector, including food safety and security and improving quality agriculture data.

 

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