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Realizing the advantages of using mobile technology for data collection and statistical production, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has implemented a series of pilot projects on strengthening the capacity of African countries to use mobile technologies to collect data for effective policy and decision making. The project is a parallel funded implementation of a Development Account (DA) project involving five countries in Phase I, and an additional five in Phase II.
The main objective of the DA project is to improve the capacity of countries in using mobile technology to make statistical data available and accessible to support evidence-based policy making. It is built in two phases. The results of phase I will be incorporated into the findings for the roll of the methodologies to Phase II and to other countries.
One important aspect of this project is the reliance of the National Training and Research Institutions (NTRIs) to undertake applied research to adapt and develop appropriate concepts, systems and methodologies for the use of mobile technologies in data collection, and the integration of the collected data into standard statistical processes. The objective is to build the capacity beyond the narrow scope of the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and ensure acceptability and sustainability. NTRIs are expected to develop their own research projects based on the results, thereby ensuring sustainability of the capacities being developed. To achieve this objective NSOs and NTRIs work together from the onset of the activities in the project. It also allows to deal with the challenge of ensuring that the concepts and systems being introduced can be localized.