Why should we call the community and ask how many vineyards you have? - Pashinyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Statistical Committee to discuss the structure's report on its activities for 2023. The Chairman of the Statistical Committee, Stepan Mnatsakanyan, and his deputies reported on the activities carried out during the reporting period.

It was noted that the program from the previous year was fully implemented, with 473 planned events completed. A total of 20 statistical collections, 67 informational reports, and 24 monthly communication reports were distributed.

According to the results of the 3rd census conducted in Armenia from October 13-22, 2022, since independence and utilizing a combined methodology for the first time, the permanent population of Armenia was reported to be 2,932,731 as of October 13, 2022. It was also mentioned that a pilot agricultural accounting was conducted from October 11-31, 2023, while a main universal enumeration, the second of its kind in Armenia, is scheduled to take place in October 2024.

Prime Minister Pashinyan expressed interest in the statistical processes and capacity development in the agricultural sector and stated, “Why should we call the community and ask how many vineyards you have? The data should be generated using artificial intelligence and orthophoto images, which should be reflected in our statistics, so we know how much potential grape collection there is this year, since we know there are numerous manipulations regarding these numbers for various purposes. Now, technology has advanced so much. The same goes for cultivated and uncultivated, irrigated and non-irrigated lands; I assume we should move in this direction because it is possible to refine data down to the degree of soil moisture, and so on.

Next, for example, we have the same issue related to normative and super-normative lands. This is important because it will allow us to plan and refine strategies more clearly. For instance, if we are certain about the data on super-normative lands, we can implement drip irrigation and subsidy mechanisms in those lands where moisture is greater, and so on. If we do this manually, there will always be a potential for abuse. Moreover, these technologies exist. I believe we should address this issue as a matter of urgency. We shouldn’t call and ask how much grapes you harvested or how many vineyards you have. All of this should be generated through artificial intelligence, of course, along with analysis. Calling for statistics leads us to very erroneous paths.”

It was reported that the Statistical Committee is closely cooperating with the Cadastre Committee regarding the development of capabilities and obtaining orthophoto images. Reforms have been initiated to strengthen statistical capacities. Specifically, ArmStat, in coordination with the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance, is initiating work to join the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS), which is currently the most stringent and binding requirement, referred to as 'SDDS plus'. Within this framework, the defining data required now and in the future, metadata, and steps for joining have already been identified.

In 2023, for the purpose of improving SME statistics, tables summarizing calculated taxes payable to the state budget by economic entities (micro, small, medium, and large) conducting economic activities in Armenia in 2022 have been compiled according to the sections of the classification of types of economic activity and the sizes of entrepreneurs, based on the relevant nominal data received from the State Revenue Committee.

In 2023, ArmStat, in collaboration with the World Bank and the EcoGeneration environmental and socio-economic NGO, conducted a study on the use of information and communication technologies by economic entities and e-commerce, with full results published on ArmStat's official website. Classifications of high-tech and knowledge-based economic activities and high-tech products have been introduced, with indicators expected to be published on February 5.

In 2023, comprehensive work has been done on finalizing and testing the web platform for collecting, maintaining, and processing electronic reports in two areas: the administrative portal with the participation of ArmStat's departments and the public portal with the involvement of respondents. As a result, ArmStat's online system for the submission of official statistical reports will be launched on February 1, 2024, with notifications conducted through the platform of the State Revenue Committee.

A new section titled 'Infographics' has been created on the main page of ArmStat's official website, where the composition and content of the visual data presentations are continually updated. Quality certificates for 140 statistical products have been updated based on the principles of European statistics experience and the framework for ensuring quality in the European Statistical System, as well as the General Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM, version 5.0). Additionally, the functions of ArmStat have been mapped according to the Common Activity Model for Statistical Organizations (GAMSO).

In 2023, the collection of data for POPSTAT, which is submitted to Eurostat and the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD) for the year under review 2022, was implemented for population numbers, natural movement, and migration data transmitted in compliance with SDMX international standard formats as defined by the EDAMIS reporting system.

Guided by the 10th fundamental principle of official statistics of the UN, constant cooperation has been ensured with international statistical organizations aimed at aligning statistical practices with international standards and the continuous development of official statistics. In addition to the ongoing research and observations funded by the state budget of Armenia, in 2023, a one-off 'Time Use Study' was initiated with methodological and financial support from UN Women.