Are we in trouble? 1
Frequent but untimely data in LACJoao Pedro Azevedo
LCSPP
4/20/2011
Are we in trouble? 2
The Context
• Heterogeneous region– High capacity middle income countries– Low capacity IDA countries
• Multiple stakeholders– Demand and Supply
4/20/2011
Are we in trouble? 3
Yes, there is frequent data in the region…
Country Mean Avg. Min Avg. Max NLatin America
Subtotal 2000.1 1989.8 2008.1 238
The Caribbean
Subtotal 1999.7 1996.7 2001.8 25Total 1999.7 1991.5 2006.5 263
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Summary statistics of Household survey years from the LAC region:
Are we in trouble? 4
… and it is getting better.
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Are we in trouble? 5
And this is happening not just in terms of the standard household survey…
• Population census• Agriculture census• Labor Force Surveys• Living Standard Surveys• Income and Expenditure Surveys• Administrative records• Market research data• Tailored made surveys for specific programs4/20/2011
Are we in trouble? 6
But this is still not good enough, when the crisis hit, several countries did not know what was happening to their population…
Country Mean Min Max NBolivia 2000.4 1992 2007 8Mexico 1999.5 1989 2008 11Nicaragua 1999.3 1993 2005 4El Salvador 2001.1 1991 2008 14Bahamas 2001.0 2001 2001 1Belice 1996.2 1993 1999 5Dominican R. 2003.2 1996 2009 12Haiti 2001.0 2001 2001 1Jamaica 1997.6 1990 2002 5Suriname 1999.0 1999 1999 1
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Just to name the ones in which there are data delays… several Caribbean islands still do not have regular surveys
7
MEXICO - Labor Income Poverty Index (LIPI)(U$ 2.5 a day)
Q1 2005 – Q4 2010
20 April 2011
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
Rural Urban Total
LIPI
(Q1
2007
= 1
)
Are we in trouble?
Are we in trouble? 8
Some challenges…
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• Coordination (internal and external)• Documentation and Access• Harmonization and Comparability– Ex-ante– Ex-post
• Not enough rigorous designs to improve survey instruments in the region
• Little data to understand mobility in the region
Are we in trouble? 9
How the next two weeks can help…
• Improvements in data collection (i.e. continuous household surveys)
• Exploring alternative always to use existing data (i.e. LIPI and imputation methods)
• New ways of collecting data (i.e. mobile phone)• Better ways to manage data• Coordination initiatives (i.e. poverty
committees)
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Are we in trouble? 10
LAC Team for Statistical Development
4/20/2011
Are we in trouble? 13
IT TAKES TIME AND RESOURCES… But make no mistake.
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