On 5-9 November 2018, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) delivered a training on survey data analysis for 30 (23 male, 7 female) academics at the Benue State University (BSU) in Makurdi, Benue State’s capital.
The 5-day training course introduced participants to the use of STATA for carrying out survey data analysis, with presentations and practical exercises aimed at increasing the familiarity of the staff and graduate students of BSU with STATA as a tool for data analysis. The training was also geared towards further strengthening the ability of these researchers to be able to provide policy-relevant research on Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
According to Sule Abubakar, a PhD student at BSU, “I was able to learn the basics of STATA that can support further use for analysis. I look forward to more of such opportunities for other students.” Dr. Philip Terhemen Abachi, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at BSU, remarked “As you are aware, the participants in the training were academic staff of varied ranks from the Departments of Economics, and Maths and Computer Science and some PhD students of the institution. While others had prior but limited knowledge of the use of STATA, some of us were completely beginners… every participant was carried along. We wish to state categorically that we benefitted immensely from the training and to assure you that we shall continue to build on this as we advance in our chosen careers. You people demonstrated very high competence. You quickly identified every participant’s ability and related with us accordingly by attending to us on individual basis. In that regard, every participant was carried along. Your jovial approach and high interpersonal relationship greatly distinguished you from other facilitators in similar trainings. We are most grateful.”
The training is part of activities of the Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project towards strengthening the national capacity of Nigeria’s researchers and analysts to provide evidence relevant to policymaking on the country’s agricultural sector. The Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project is jointly implemented by Michigan State University and IFPRI’s Nigeria Strategy Support Program (IFPRI-NSSP) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID/Nigeria).
