How others reported CountrySTAT Tanzania launch

14/11/2012

A one-stop online resource for national statistics on agriculture was launched in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) partnered with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to establish the website.

Through the initiative, it will now be easy for researchers and other information seekers to access vital data, especially on agriculture and food, on the website: www.countrySTAT.org

The Web-based information would provide improved access to better quality statistics on food and agriculture at the national and sub-national levels.

Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives Minister, Stephen Wassira said in a speech read on his behalf by the ministry's Director for Policy and Planning, Mr Emmanuel Acheyo, that the establishment of the database would help policymakers to come up with appropriate strategies.

He said policymakers, especially in the agriculture and food sector, had for many years been unable to come up with proper plans due to the lack of adequate statistics.

"With the Web-based information system it will be easier for policymakers to integrate evidence based policies that would help in economic development of our country," the minister said.

Speaking during the launch, NBS Project Director, Mr Said Aboud said the bureau would conduct countrywide training that would enable NBS staff to access and collect valid information during the collection of statistics.