CH!t·J It. tf'•" j:h'1'5>c re~ '.f~df -.;.., l !":~ ilgf j cui tu• a1 cen <JUSf»S corv1uct.ec1 io t:he !Jro-vin:e::~s d~? .Jln c'ftjJortant ::.tep towaf"ds the i.mprove1nent af :i.tati'<.i.tics... Fu.tdler·atore., res~arch in estimatintj yielas. recnrnjng p~ices ~nc cub~i~hing butlrt.ins have provide~ vatuabT~ expt=H"; .:!OC~ and ga i datu::e as to the or i entation to be adopted in futur-~. f.'i-ll'(AIN Olf=flCUlTIE$ HAMPERING AGRlCUt.TURAL OATA COt.LF(TION (IJ The s~ort~ge of skills r~quired to conduct s~atistica1 studi~~ is one of the biggest problems confronting t~P statis­ tical J:'rogram1ne ... l:-tis Cdn lJc attriiJ.uted to Jow salaries and thp 1..-;+.:::f-c r•t tf•'-,?-liL _, .. ~"".. ~tH.:...:;~.J ~ood ....... :;..aH~ cooaition~ <H"P d must tf cOt-~pet.~"!t -elelln:nts are to be ·'ltt;,-act<=:o and r-etaine2., .1\rld high ~lt:iH-: a;n.:l b.-o.ad exper•ence ln" \Jot;1 precondition~. of sat­ isfactory statistical work. •l 1 l he C~nt raf Oepar-tmE-nt is ;jnde4" con•;,, ider" able pn:ssure beca~se ot the lack of stattstjcal Oranch-offtces in the Gover­ noll'ates~ Offices staffPd ~nth com~etent-• well tr-ained personnel 1 n e a ell Guvernor ate wou I d t ,;.c i la tate ttu.:> i :np l ement.at i. on of s ta­ t:!st!cal proqrdmmes and spare the centra't ~Jepartment a consider­ able amount of effort antl expenditure ~ince they would do away witfl the need ta send s.taff from Sana•a every ti111e dat.<~ an a given sobject has to be collected from the field. -6 - (3) Jhe reticence of informants and the imprecision of data supplied are welT i l1 ustrated by the difficulties encountered in attempting to collect data from traders in agricultural equip­ ment and by the mistrust of farmers. Sucn ai fficultiesy however could be overcoMe through advertising ca!Rpaigns and the pro­ motion of awareness of statistics among staff. The elimination of these obstacfes. pa~ticularty in respect of qualified ele­