**The World Census of Agriculture 2010 Programme:**

**a Modular Approach**

Jack Colwell

Hiek Som

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The World Census of Agriculture programme is a decennial programme of
agricultural censuses promoted by FAO. FAO is now preparing the
programme for the 2010 round of agricultural censuses, to be undertaken
between 2006 and 2015. Previous agricultural census programmes have been
successful, but countries have faced problems because of the increasing
demands for data, the high costs of census taking, and the complexity of
many census topics.

A new approach will be used for the 2010 round of agricultural censuses.
Countries will undertake their agricultural censuses within the
framework of an integrated agricultural census/survey programme, which
will enhance the usefulness of data from different sources. A modular
approach will be used. The core census module, based on complete
enumeration, will provide a limited range of key data; and sample-based
census supplementary modules will provide more in-depth data. This will
reduce costs and allow countries to collect a wider range of data.

This paper outlines FAO's proposals for the 2010 round of agricultural
censuses. The census core and supplementary modules are discussed and
changes from previous programmes are highlighted. The coordination of
the agricultural and population censuses is also discussed.

**1. Introduction**

FAO is currently preparing for the 2010 round of agricultural censuses,
which will cover the period 2006-2015. It will be the ninth in the
decennial programme of agricultural censuses, which started in 1930.
Well over 100 countries participated in the 2000 round of agricultural
censuses.

In the past, agricultural censuses have focussed on the collection of
data for agricultural holdings. An agricultural holding is defined as an
economic unit of agricultural production under single management. This
covers crop and livestock production activities. In most countries,
agricultural holdings are predominantly in the household sector, but
they may also be corporations, cooperatives or government institutions.

After its formation in 1946, FAO assumed responsibility for agricultural
censuses and has promoted the 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000
programmes. FAO's role is to: issue standards and guidelines for taking
agricultural censuses; provide technical assistance to countries in
undertaking censuses; and summarize census data obtained from countries.
FAO has published manuals for each round of agricultural censuses \[FAO,
1967; FAO, 1976; FAO, 1986; FAO, 1995\]. It has also published other
technical material on agricultural census methodology \[FAO, 1996a\].

The 1930 and 1940 agricultural censuses aimed to provide comprehensive
data on agricultural production activities, but were difficult for many
countries to implement. From 1950, the content of agricultural censuses
was limited to data on the structure of agricultural holdings, such as
land use, farm size, area of crops grown, structure of livestock herds,
farm machinery, and agricultural inputs. Over the years, the content has
widened to include new areas of interest; the 2000 round included data
on gender and the environment \[FAO, 1995\].

The 2010 round of agricultural censuses has been developed after a
review of country experiences with the previous programme. Many
countries are concerned about the costs of agricultural censuses, as
well as the demands made on technical and other resources. Countries are
finding it difficult to meet the increasing demand for often complex
data on current issues, such as food security, agricultural practices,
and the environment. Greater use is being made of sampling methods in
agricultural censuses. Countries would also like to link agricultural
and population census data. The need to better integrate the
agricultural census into the ongoing system of agricultural statistics
is also of concern to many countries.

**2. Agricultural censuses in the framework of an integrated
agricultural census/ survey programme**

The new programme provides for agricultural censuses to be conducted as
the central component of the system of agricultural sample surveys.
Under this scenario, the agricultural census/survey programme can be
viewed as having two related elements: (i) the *agricultural census*;
and (ii) the series of agricultural sample surveys based on the
agricultural census, called the *thematic agricultural surveys*. Each
country is encouraged to develop its agricultural census within the
overall framework of the system of agricultural surveys, and to plan the
thematic agricultural surveys as a part of the agricultural census
development.

The thematic agricultural surveys will be based on sampling frames
obtained from the agricultural census. These surveys will provide more
detailed data for agricultural census topics, such as crops and
agricultural practices. They will also include new topics, such as time
use and cost of production, as well as ongoing agricultural surveys such
as crop and livestock production.

A schematic representation of agricultural censuses in the framework of
an integrated agricultural census/survey programme is shown in Figure 1.
It shows items under selected headings, such as land, irrigation, etc.,
according to their suitability for inclusion in the census core module,
in a census supplementary module, or in a thematic agricultural survey.

**3. Outline of the new agricultural census
methodology**![](media/image1.wmf){width="5.388888888888889in"
height="3.4138888888888888in"}

As in the past, the 2010 round of agricultural censuses will focus on
the collection of structural data for agricultural holdings. However,
two options to widen the scope of the agricultural census will be
provided:

(i) In traditional agricultural censuses, units engaged in aquaculture
    production are included only if they also have some crop and
    livestock production activities. In view of the growing importance
    of aquaculture in many countries, the option will be provided to
    cover all aquaculture production units.

(ii) Some countries may wish to expand their agricultural censuses to
     collect socio-economic data about other rural households that are
     not agricultural holdings, such as those containing farm labourers.

A modular approach will be used for agricultural censuses in the 2010
programme. A *core census module*, to be conducted on a complete
enumeration or large sample basis, will provide a limited range of key
data. One or more *census supplementary modules* will be conducted on a
sample basis, using the core census module as a frame, to provide more
in-depth data. This is essentially the short/long questionnaire approach
already used by some countries.

A draft list of 16 items has been identified as being suitable for
inclusion in the core census module. These items have been selected on
the basis of: (i) their importance for national policy-making and for
making inter-country comparisons; (ii) the need to establish sampling
frames; and (iii) the importance of providing fine level data such as
for low-level administrative units. The 16 items are:

-   identification and location of agricultural holding

-   type of agricultural holding

-   sex of agricultural holder

-   age of agricultural holder

-   0003 Sex of household members (paragraphs ).

-   0004 Age of household members (paragraphs ).

-   household size

-   main purpose of production

-   0007 Number of land parcels (paragraphs ).

-   area of holding according to land use types

-   total area of holding

-   land tenure types

-   presence of temporary crops by crop type

-   presence of permanent crops by crop type and whether grown in a
    compact plantation

-   number of animals by livestock type

-   presence of aquaculture

-   presence of forest and other wooded land

-   other economic activities of the holding's enterprise

-   whether the holding is part of a household that is primarily a
    farming household

    A further 80 items have been identified as suitable for enumeration
    by sample methods in the census supplementary modules. These items
    may be as important as the 16 recommended core items, but do not
    need to be collected on a complete enumeration basis because they
    are not needed for sampling frame purposes or because data are not
    required for low-level administrative units. The 80 items are
    classified under 12 headings, representing possible topics for
    census supplementary modules:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   land (7 items)

-   irrigation and water management (6 items)

-   crops (10 items)

-   livestock (10 items)

-   agricultural practices (8 items)

-   agricultural services (10 items)

-   demographic and social characteristics (6 items)

-   economic activity of household members (4 items)

-   household food security (6 items)

-   aquaculture (5 items)

-   forestry (4 items)

-   management of the holding (4 items)

    The modular approach can be illustrated using aquaculture as an
    example. One aquaculture item, presence of aquaculture, is
    recommended for inclusion in the core census module to provide data
    on the number of holdings with aquaculture and to help establish a
    sampling frame. The following five items are recommended for
    enumeration by sampling methods in a census supplementary module:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   area of aquaculture by type of site

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   area of aquaculture by type of production facility

-   area of aquaculture by type of water

-   sources of water for aquaculture

-   type of aquaculture organism cultivated

    The number of items in the 2010 round of agricultural censuses is
    larger than in previous programmes. This is because limiting the
    core census module to just a few key data items and collecting more
    in-depth data using sampling methods will result in considerable
    cost savings, enabling the census to cover much more data than would
    be possible in a single census operation.

    In developing their core census modules, countries will be
    encouraged to include all 16 recommended core items, plus other
    items required to meet national data needs or to help establish
    sampling frames. For example, an item on fertilizer use might be
    included in the core census module for sampling frame purposes if an
    agricultural inputs supplementary module was required. The core
    census module should cover fewer items than in agricultural censuses
    in the past.

    A country will not collect all 80 recommended supplementary items,
    but will select topics for supplementary modules according to
    national policy priorities and data needs. It is expected that
    countries will carry out one or two census supplementary modules in
    association with the core census module. Usually, a supplementary
    module will include data from several headings. For example, a
    household food security module could include data from the land,
    crops, and agricultural practices categories, as well as household
    food security items.

**4. Community-level data**

The 2010 round of agricultural censuses will provide for the collection
of infrastructure and other socio-economic data at the community level,
an important need in many countries. Community-level data are of
interest in their own right, as well as for analysis of relationships
with agricultural holding data. Examples of community-level data under
consideration are: whether the community is prone to natural disasters;
availability of services such as roads, electricity, health facilities
and schools; presence of agricultural produce market and agricultural
input suppliers; economic activities in the community; and existence of
farmers' organizations.

**5. Changes from previous agricultural census programmes**

Most items included in previous programmes will also be included in the
2010 programme, although some data are recommended for collection by
sample methods. Some items are included for the first time:

-   Land: soil degradation.

-   Water: irrigation by crop type; method of irrigation; sources of
    irrigation; payment terms for irrigation; other water management.

-   Crops: fertilizer use by crop type; source of seed; area of
    nurseries.

-   Livestock: milking animals; livestock population dynamics; type of
    feed.

-   Agricultural practices: pesticide types; good agricultural
    practices; organic farming; genetically modified crops.

-   Agricultural services: credit; source of agricultural information;
    extension services; access to food markets; use of veterinary
    services.

-   Demographic and social characteristics: relationship to head;
    educational attainment; national/ethnic group.

-   Economic activity of household members: time worked.

-   Household food security: a new topic altogether.

-   Aquaculture: type of site; production facility; type of water;
    sources of water; type of organism.

-   Forestry: function of forest; agro-forestry.

-   Community-level data.

Some items in the 2000 programme have been omitted; namely, presence of
a hired manager, area with irrigation potential, soil type/colour/depth,
non-residential buildings, and value of forestry/fishery sales.

Other important changes in concepts and definitions are:

(i) The concept of an agricultural holding has been reviewed to ensure
    consistency with national accounting standards \[UN et al, 1993;
    FAO, 1996b; UN, 2004\].

(ii) Concepts relating to activity status and employment have been
     changed to better reflect the structure of employment in rural
     areas and to be consistent with ILO standards \[FAO, 1997a; ILO,
     2000\].

(iii) The concept of forest land has been modified to bring it into line
      with international standards.

(iv) The concepts of agri-aqua holding and aquaculture holding have been
     introduced to cover aquaculture production in the agricultural
     census. An agri-aqua holding is an agricultural holding that is
     also engaged in aquaculture, whereas an aquaculture holding is a
     unit engaged in aquaculture but not agricultural production \[FAO,
     1997b\].

(v) Two new concepts, the sub-holding and the sub-holder, have been
    introduced to better understand the role of household members,
    especially women, in the management of a holding. A sub-holding is a
    part of a holding managed by a particular person in the household. A
    sub-holder is the person managing the sub-holding on behalf of the
    holder \[FAO, 1999\].

(vi) The definition of irrigation has been clarified to reflect the
     "controlled" supply of water. The concept of water management has
     also been introduced to cover such things as flood recession
     cultivation and spate irrigation.

(vii) The concept of fertilizer has been clarified to reflect the
      variety of materials used to enhance plant growth.

(viii) The notion of legal ownership has been introduced into the land
       tenure concept to describe land rights that provide security of
       tenure. This covers not only land held under a land title system,
       but also other forms of owner-like possession that are recognized
       by the state.

(ix) The land use classification has been simplified to clarify the land
     use terminology.

Structured classifications will also be provided for crop type, as in
previous agricultural censuses, as well as, for the first time,
livestock type and type of machinery.

A feature of the 2010 round of agricultural censuses is the linkage
between the agricultural census and the population census. Countries
will be encouraged to explore opportunities for coordinating the two
census activities. Issues to consider are: the use of common concepts
and definitions; sharing field materials; using the population census as
a frame for the agricultural census; collecting additional data in the
population census; and coordinating the two data collection operations
\[UN, 1998\].

As in the past, the 2010 programme will provide flexibility for
countries to design agricultural censuses to meet their own specific
requirements.

**6. Agricultural census/survey publications to be issued**

As in the past, FAO will issue a series of technical publications
presenting the 2010 agricultural census/survey programme. The first
publication will provide guidelines for countries on the methodology,
data items, concepts, definitions and tabulations for the agricultural
census. The publication is expected to be issued in late 2005 in all
official FAO languages.

Over the coming years, FAO will issue a series of other publications on
specific aspects of the agricultural census/survey programme.

**7. References**

FAO (1967), Programme for the 1970 World Census of Agriculture, Rome.

FAO Statistics and studies for agricultural development planning: a
phased programme, 1968 Rome.

FAO (1976), Programme for the 1980 World Census of Agriculture, Rome.

FAO (1986), Programme for the 1990 World Census of Agriculture, Rome.

FAO (1995), Programme for the World Census of Agriculture 2000, Rome.

FAO (1996a), Conducting Agricultural Censuses and Surveys, Rome.

FAO (1996b), A System of Economic Accounts for Food and Agriculture,
Rome.

FAO (1997a), Guidelines on Employment: Supplement to the Programme for
the World Census of Agriculture 2000, Rome.

FAO (1997b), Guidelines on the Collection of Structural Aquaculture
Statistics: Supplement to the Programme for the World Census of
Agriculture 2000, Rome.

FAO (1999), Agricultural Censuses and Gender Considerations: Concepts
and Methodology, Rome.

ILO (2000), Current International Recommendations on Labor Statistics,
Geneva.

UN, OECD, World Bank, Eurostat (1993), System of National Accounts 1993
(SNA), Brussels, New York, Paris, Washington.

UN (1998), Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing
Censuses, Revision 1, New York.

UN (2004), International Standard Industrial Classification of all
Economic Activities (ISIC), Revision 3.1, New York.