Issues and concerns for developed countries

Agriculture in developed countries has undergone profound changes in the recent past. Shifts in governments' attention to related fields, such as environmental issues and rural development, the need for more micro-level data for agricultural sectors, and the globalisation of world economies, have put additional demand on the capacity of statistical systems to deliver answers. Issues are becoming increasingly complex, while options tend to become more constrained and pressures are growing. A well-functioning statistical information system might help to alleviate such pressures to some extent while providing more consistent and internationally comparable statistics. An integrated system approach is needed with respect to the organisation of statistical systems and the information technology in support of these.