USAID/Tanzania started in 2011 a partnership with the Tanzanian National Bureau of Statistics to strengthen agricultural statistics in the country. The project provided a $1.1 million grant to support conducting a Feed the Future baseline survey, and an additional grant to help finance a U.S. study tour for 11 statisticians to enhance their skills.

Access to innovative technology to collect data

To conduct the 2011 baseline agricultural survey, 120 enumerators throughout Tanzania received training and access to innovative technology. Prior to the use of this unique technology, all statistics in Tanzania were collected with pen and paper - the data could take years to aggregate.

As a result of the new technology, the data collected was more accurate, and much more quickly available to statisticians

Learning tour of U.S. agricultural operations and statistical training

Subsequently, in October 2012, 11 Tanzanian officials traveled to Washington and to Purdue University on a two-week study tour of U.S. agricultural operations and statistical training. Participants learned about organization, methodology and program management for preparing official agricultural statistics.

After the learning tour, statisticians were better equipped to design and collect more accurate and reliable agriculture data, which are used to make policy decisions about regions with food surpluses or deficits. 

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