Statistical analysts and technicians from INSTAT (National Institute of Statistics), along with technical officials from key ministries, have undergone capacity-building training to master agricultural information management systems. Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty in partnership with FAO and SADC, this two-week training session aims to help participants manipulate cutting-edge technologies applied to the agricultural sector. This technical immersion is part of implementing the regional STOSAR II project, spanning 2025 to 2028. It provided an opportunity for participants to better master SADC AIMS tools, including Business Intelligence—a decision-support tool for designing interactive dashboards—and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), used to master spatial mapping for improved territorial understanding of agricultural data. Policymakers can now quickly visualize high-potential zones or vulnerable areas requiring optimal allocation of public resources. Additionally, participating technicians familiarized themselves with Data Storytelling, a technique for presenting complex analyses in accessible and actionable formats for policymakers.

Reliabilizing Rural Data

As part of modernizing agricultural sector governance, stakeholders are transforming simple agricultural data into genuine decision-making instruments to guarantee food sovereignty and guide public policies. This initiative also addresses long-standing problems of scattered agricultural information and data. Training participants committed to harmonizing collected rural data according to regional standards to ensure compatibility and interoperability with the SADC regional portal. They will subsequently centralize and reliabilize rural data to modernize sector governance and inform food security policies in Madagascar while anticipating potential climate crises or shocks. Producers will meanwhile benefit from positive economic returns.

Facilitating Trade

At least 70% of national agricultural datasets must be cleaned, structured, and uploaded to the SADC regional platform following this capacity-building session. Harmonizing data flows among SADC member countries will facilitate regional trade exchanges while ensuring better market transparency and food security. Reliable, transparent, and standardized agricultural statistics will strengthen confidence among technical and financial partners and promote exports of Madagascar's agricultural products to the SADC market.