Page 83 - Special Topic Session (STS) - Volume 1

STS407 Jairo C. et al.

Integrating Agricultural Censuses and Surveys for
optimal sectoral data collection
Jairo Castano, Oleg Cara
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Abstract
In countries with less developed national statistical systems (NSS), agricultural
censuses (ACs) and sample surveys are not conducted regularly. This means
that both structural data (sourced from censuses) and current statistics
(sourced from sample surveys) are not readily available or up-to-date for
informed decision-making on agricultural and rural development. In such
countries, because of the sheer needs, when a census of agriculture is planned,
stakeholders exert pressure on the census agency to collect both structural
and non-structural data (atypical for a census), overburdening the census
questionnaire and ultimately jeopardizing the quality of the census operation.
An increasing number of countries make efforts towards better integrating
statistical activities. The FAO World Programme for the Census of Agriculture
2020 (WCA 2020) advocates the development of an integrated multi-year
programme of statistical operations involving AC, current surveys and other
data collection operations. By integrating these operations, the AC can focus
on collecting essential structural items, while regular agricultural sample
surveys and administrative registers can focus on collecting non-structural
data needed more frequently.
Finally, the results are used to discuss the concept and measurability of
dependents contractors in the relevant economic setting. Besides evaluating
the suitability of the tested questions for capturing the group of dependent
contractors, additional questions that could be relevant for measuring the
phenomenon in a Danish – or similar – context are considered.

Keywords
Agricultural Census; World Programme for the Census of Agriculture;
Integrated census/survey modality; Cost-effective data collection; Census
items

1. Introduction
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have presented new demands
for more data and challenges in terms of monitoring and reporting progress
towards their achievement. There is a need for cost-efficient methodologies,
modern tools for data collection and better data integration. While some
progress on accessing existing information has been made thanks to open

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