USAID donates 3G tablets to assist Ghana data collection

The United States Agency for International Development presented tablets and other information technology equipment to the Statistics, Research and Information Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The electronic equipment and software were donated to enhance the collection of agricultural statistics.

The IT equipment and data collection system will minimise human error in agriculture data collection and analysis, as well as improve overall data quality and credibility. USAID Mission Director Andrew Karas handed over the IT equipment to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Honorable Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna.

“Today’s handover of equipment and software will enable the Ministry to store vast quantities of data, and to access information on demand,” remarked Karas. “It will significantly improve the Ministry’s capacity to undertake field surveys and collect, secure, and analyse data.”

The IT equipment and data collection system will minimise human error in agriculture data collection and analysis, as well as improve overall data quality and credibility.

Among the equipment donated were 3G tablets fitted with global positioning system, which will help Statistics, Research and Information Directorate produce credible data and information to support appropriate and effective policy analysis, decision-making and planning. In Ghana, policymakers often lack quality data, as well as the capacity to analyse and communicate findings.

Funded by USAID, the Agriculture Policy Support Project assisted Statistics, Research and Information Directorate to design, develop and implement a Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing data collection system in support of the Ghana Agriculture Production and Market Price Surveys.

Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing provides a holistic approach for quality agriculture data collection including geographical information system plotting, analysis and management. The donated equipment will allow Statistics, Research and Information Directorate to move from collecting data using a pencil and paper, to real-time mobile data collection using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing system on 3G tablets to conduct Ghana’s annual Agricultural Production Survey and Market Price Survey.

Agriculture Policy Support Project, will support Statistics, Research and Information Directorate with its data collection to ensure data quality and for policy-making purposes. Additionally, Statistics, Research and Information Directorate staff and district-level officers are receiving training on the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing system.

The development of the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing system begun in June 2015 and the application, system implementation, monitoring and gradual transfer to Statistics, Research and Information Directorate will be completed by September 2016.