The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) has undertaken the establishment of a continuous intersectoral agri-trade policy dialogue to enhance evidence-based, coordinated and efficient policy development, monitoring and evaluation.
This was said by NUST Vice Chancellor, Erold Naomab during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by NUST Wednesday, NSA will support and advise on methodological standards employed in the collection, processing and validation of secondary administrative records.
Naomab stated that the MoU includes three primary areas of cooperative activities – coordination of the collection, processing and dissemination of agricultural statistics in a cost-effective manner to reduce duplication; collaboration of joint lectures and socio-economic research; and the implementation of student attachment and in-service training.
“I believe it is only right to undertake that both NUST and NSA share a vision of realising the significance of statistical systems for applied scientific research, thus the purpose of this MoU is to exchange data and information together with knowledge and training to support research for evidence-based policy formulation,” he said.
Naomab highlighted that in order for all stakeholders to benefit from the best possible actions arising from statistical decision-making now and in future, it is strategically important to work collaboratively.
“NUST is delighted to offer technical and professional expertise and advanced technological platforms to support this undertaking. All faculties, centres and institutes are expected to benefit from this initiative based on the principle of cross-sectorial inter-disciplinary cooperation,” he explained.
NSA Statistician-General, Alex Shimuafeni said the collaboration is testimony that NSA does not collect statistics for its own use, but for stakeholders for evidence-based policy and decision making.
“I look forward to the development of an Agricultural Statistical Management System that NSA and NUST will develop. It is through a system like this that better planning and coordination can be achieved countrywide,” he said.
Shimuafeni also highlighted that there is a need for an agricultural trade policy institution given that the agricultural sector contributed 9 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product of the country in 2020.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
