International Programs

The International Programs Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has provided technical assistance and training in other countries for more than 40 years to help improve agricultural statistics programs. Benefits of this assistance are stronger institutions with increased individual skills and the ability to implement practical applications. The assistance emphasizes uniformity and sound statistical procedures using sample surveys. The results provide more reliable and timely agricultural information with less cost.

Shortfalls in regional food production, hunger, and lack of reliable information on the agricultural sector are major concerns in many countries. Improved statistical systems can provide better information to address these issues.

NASS specialists provide technical assistance and training in all phases of sample surveys and agriculture censuses. The USDA/NASS International Programs Office offers assistance in data collection methodology using a wide range of survey designs and procedures to improve statistical systems and data quality. Our international projects have covered a wide array of statistical activities in many areas of the world.

Assistance is provided on either long or short-term assignments. Planning and implementation of agricultural statistics improvement programs remains a function of the country receiving assistance.

Area and list sampling frames have been developed and survey enhancement programs placed in a number of countries.

Recent assistance programs in some Central and Eastern European countries and China have helped them develop appropriate agricultural statistics programs as they move to market economies.

Short-term seminars and training programs ranging from 1 hour to several weeks are provided either in the U.S. or other countries.

NASS personnel have provided technical assistance, training, or evaluation activities in the following countries:

Africa:   Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Zimbabwe

Asia:    Armenia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen

Central America and Caribbean: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua

Europe:    Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine

South America:    Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

USDA/NASS International Programs Office Room 6035, South Agriculture Building Mail Stop 2013 Washington, D.C. 20250-2013

Phone: (202) 720-4505 Fax: (202) 720-0506 E-mail: nass-ipo@nass.usda.gov

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Send comments and questions to: NASS Customer Service at nass@nass.usda.gov
or Phone the National Agricultural Statistics Hotline at 1-800-727-9540.

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