Purpose of the meeting
The 23rd Session of the Commission was organized to: (i) assess the current status of food and agricultural statistics in member countries; (ii) inform the member countries about the FAO activities in food and agricultural statistics during the preceding biennium, particularly in Asia and the Pacific; and (iii) discuss new developments in agricultural statistics.
The Session was attended by a total of 71 participants, including 60 delegates from 16 member countries, viz., Afghanistan, Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, USA and Viet Nam. Eight representatives from FAO and three observers from Timor Leste, ESCAP and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) also participated in the Session.
His Excellency Mr Chan Sarun, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of the Royal Government of Cambodia gave the inaugural address to the Commission. Mr Hiroyuki Konuma, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO RAP), delivered the opening address.
Thirty-three technical documents, including an update on recent developments in agricultural statistics in the countries of the region, were discussed. In addition, a roundtable discussion was held on statistical capacity building.
The Session’s Agenda included topics on:
1. A review of FAO’s Activities in Food and Agriculture Statistics, particularly in Asia and the Pacific since the last Session of the Commission
2. State of Food and Agricultural Statistics in Countries of the Region
3. Global Strategy for the Improvement of Agricultural and Rural Statistics
4. An update on the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2010
5. Gender Statistics
6. Statistics and Small Holders
7. Socio-economic Statistics and CountrySTAT
8. Agricultural Statistics Relating to the Environment