The Agricultural Census and Information System Technical Assistance Project (SICA) is an Ecuadorian Government Project, dependent to the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Office, established through a International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Loan Agreement, signed on May 20^th, 1998, for a four years execution period.

SICA Project Components Set is settled on two institutions: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), and the Statistics and Census National Institute (INEC).

SICA-MAG Components provide a permanent information and assistance service addressed to strengthen and improve public sector policy decision making, as well as analysis that support investment and private management decisions. This information service provides local and international information on 11 profitable sub-sectors (Agri-alimentary Systems) tightly related to 11 Agriculture Sector important subjects, including several international trade negotiations in which Ecuador is participating.

SICA-INEC Components main task is to perform the Fourth National Agricultural Census (IV-CAN) which will update structural information obtained on the 1974 National Agricultural Census. This information will be completed and adjusted through various periodical surveys.

SICA Project actions joint the most important Ecuadorian economy sector to the various international level changes, projecting itself to new millenium trends, making easy modernization system and with a democratic sense of next millenium important profitable element: convenient, friendly and reliable information.

Patricio Martinez-Jaime

Executive Director