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AFCAS-29 in Hammamet: Statistics Driving Africa’s Agri-Food Transformation
Arabfields, Adel Serai, Economic Analyst, Oran — For the first time in its history, Tunisia hosted the 29th Session of the African Commission on Agricultural Statistics (AFCAS-29), the biennial gathering organised under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Chaired by Tunisia’s Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, the five-day event brought together representatives from more than 40 African countries and hundreds of national statisticians, policymakers, researchers and development partners in Hammamet.
Under the theme “Effective Partnerships and Utilization of Statistics to Transform African Agri-Food Systems”, participants repeatedly emphasised a shared conviction: reliable, timely and accessible data proved indispensable for tackling the continent’s greatest challenges – food security, climate resilience, decent job creation and reducing gender inequalities in agriculture.
Agriculture and agri-food systems remain the economic and social backbone of most African countries, employing over 60 % of the workforce and often contributing more than 30 % of GDP. Yet they were battered by repeated climate shocks, rapid population growth, supply-chain disruptions and, far too often, the lack of robust statistics to guide public policy.
Established in 1960, the African Commission on Agricultural Statistics has for over six decades played a pivotal role in harmonising methodologies, building capacity and sharing best practices. The 2025 edition marked a turning point, with full integration of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators, accelerated digitalisation of data collection tools, and the extension of statistical coverage to long-neglected sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture and forestry.
The week’s programme combined plenary sessions, technical workshops, country presentations and partnership forums, placing five major priorities at the centre of discussions: progress achieved on the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2020 (WCA 2020) and preparations for the next decade; strengthened monitoring of the SDGs, particularly indicators on sustainable agriculture, food insecurity and gender equality; rapid modernisation of statistical systems through mobile data collection, satellite imagery, big data and artificial intelligence; expanded coverage of fisheries, aquaculture and forestry statistics; and the development of multi-stakeholder partnerships involving governments, regional organisations, the private sector, research institutes and donors.
One of the week’s highlights was the spotlight on innovations in the “blue and green” sectors. Kenya’s National Fisheries Information System, for instance, emerged as a continental benchmark. By combining vessel tracking, digital catch reporting and real-time market data, it dramatically improved the reliability of fisheries statistics and helped combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Similar progress was reported in aquaculture with new sampling methods and remote sensing, while several countries adopted community-based monitoring and LiDAR technology to better quantify forest resources and carbon stocks.
Throughout the week, participants repeatedly stressed that data are only valuable when shared, analysed and turned into concrete action. The flagship proposals that emerged from Hammamet included the creation of an African Agri-Statistics Clearinghouse to centralise and harmonise datasets across the continent; stronger South-South cooperation and twinning arrangements between national statistical offices; the mobilisation of dedicated funding for statistical development, integrated directly into national agricultural investment plans; and the systematic inclusion of gender-disaggregated indicators in all agricultural surveys and censuses.
As the session concluded on 28 November, delegates finalised a comprehensive set of recommendations and a roadmap for the coming years. The outcomes of AFCAS-29 will feed directly into continental frameworks such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
By placing effective partnerships and the smart use of statistics at the heart of agri-food system transformation, the 29th African Commission on Agricultural Statistics sent a powerful message: with better data and stronger collaboration, Africa can feed its people sustainably, create millions of decent jobs and build lasting resilience against future shocks.
The seeds planted this week in Hammamet carry the promise of a better-nourished, more equitable and more resilient continent for generations to come.
