Concepts

Agricultural Censuses

Session 3

Introduction It has long been argued that integrated Population and

Housing with Agriculture Censuses is not possible

Differences in the statistical units or other concepts used in

the two censuses.

This module examines the concepts used in the P and H

census and Agriculture Census

Explores why in practice the units of enumeration and

analysis are not incompatible

Explores the instances in which there is an incompatibility

and the implications for integration

Does this also hold true in the Caribbean? Discussion on the

Caribbean situation.

What is agriculture?

Mapping to ISIC classification of agriculture for reporting against

SNA

Monitoring of share of agriculture on national economy

o 011 cultivation of crops, market gardening and horticulture

o 012 farming of animals (livestock)

o 013 mixed crop and livestock production

o Also includes aquaculture

Agriculture census also includes forestry and fisheries as an

important activity

Global Strategy formally recognizes broader definition

o e.g. crop production, fisheries, forestry, food security

o Linking holding/households/land parcel

o Merging issues faced by policy makers: competition for land

and water resources

Pre-requisite for food security, welfare and development policies

Small holder farming is often missed due to the cut-off limits used

to define holdings for the purpose of the agricultural census

CONCEPTUAL ISSUES:

Enumeration Units for Population and Housing,

and Agricultural Censuses

Household Agricultural Holding (divided into parcels and

plots)

Farm Household Non Household

Corporations Government Enterprise

Population and

Housing Census Agricultural Census

Various relationships

• 1 household -1 holding

• 1household manages more than 1 holdings

• More than one households manage 1 holding

Holder

Household Concept

Household makes common provision for food

and other living essentials (WCA 2010)

May be a one person household or a multi-

person household

A household may live in the same dwelling or

multiple dwelling units

Multiple households may share a dwelling unit

Examples: extended family with common

cooking arrangements but multiple dwellings;

polygamous households with common head

Farm/Agricultural Household (1)

“A farm household is a household in which one or

more household members are engaged in

agricultural production activities. A farm

household usually corresponds to an agricultural

holding. However, there could be more than one agricultural holding in a farm household, or more

than one farm household in an agricultural

holding.” WCA 2010

When does the farm household correspond to the holding?

Farm/Agricultural Household (2)

Own account agricultural production only o Households with farm labourers/workers not

included

Avoids problem of cut-offs applied in agricultural census

Special Cases Farms with own legal status (companies etc).

o Can be family farms with legal form of a company

More of a concern in developed countries

Agricultural Holding

“an economic unit of agricultural

production under single management

comprising all livestock kept and all land

used wholly or partly for agricultural

production purposes, without regard to

title, legal form, or size” WCA 2010

Agricultural Holding

Characteristics

Most countries population census identifies farm

household not holding

Holding is defined by particular agricultural

activities and management of those activities o Management not ownership

In practice cut offs often applied

Land can be contiguous or in separate locations o Once there are shared inputs such as labour, farm

buildings, machinery and animals

o Household need not have land e.g. Keeping

livestock next to the house

Identifying Farm Households:

Seychelles

Seychelles Population and

Housing Census: Questions

identifying farm households

Identifying farm households :

Employment and Self Employment (1)

Population censuses already ask about employment and self employment

May miss farm households due to

o Short reference period of 1 week: misses seasonal workers

o Refers to principal occupation – may miss own account farming/fishing which is a secondary or tertiary activity

Identifying farm households :

Employment and Self Employment (2)

Guam Population and Housing Census 2010

Identifying farm households:

Employment and Self Employment (3)

Wallis and Futuna Population and Housing Census 2008

14. What was your status

during the week

preceding the interview?

18. What is your

profession? …..

24.Have you an additional

field of activity?

Agriculture

Hunting

Fishing

Traditional Artisan

Street trader

Tourist services

Other –odd jobs etc

Parcel (1)

Holding is divided into parcels > parcels divided

into plots

Parcel – “any piece of land, of one land tenure

type, entirely surrounded by other land, water,

road, forest or other features not forming part of

the holding of forming part of the holding under a

different land tenure type.”

Distinguished by tenure

Distinguished by land not part of holding – often

by physical characteristics

Agricultural Holder

“civil or juridical person who makes the

major decision regarding resource use

and exercises management control over

the agricultural holding operation.”

Management not ownership

An agricultural holding is under single

management unit - one holder or joint

holder

Not a hired manager

Non-Household Holdings

Holdings can be household sector or

corporations/institutions

Holding can be a family farm or a legally

defined entity

Non-household agriculture holdings not

collected through population census

Basic information from farm registers,

business registration or licensing system, farm

associations

Linking households to holdings

Usually one to one correspondence farm household

and holding

Special Cases: One household manages more than one holding

o Eg married couple living with parents

Two (or more) households manage one holding

o E.g. Joint holding operated together with another

household or several households

o Household may also have its own separate holding

Often difficult to identify these special cases

One to One

Correspondence

One

household

manages

two

holdings

Two

households

manage

one

holding

Examples: linking multiple

households and holdings

Small proportion of the census or sample –

usually 1% or less

Does not usually affect estimates

Countries often equate the farm

household with the holding o In this case one should avoid double

counting

Identify multiples during enumeration to

avoid double counting of holdings

Example 1 How to link households to the holding? Which one will

provide the demographic information for the census?

Burkina Faso each household filled the questionnaire

but one was identified as the coordinating household

and the households managing the holding grouped

under this household to form “agricultural household”

The head of the coordinating household was defined as

the head of the agricultural household.

No ideal solution found yet and depends on what is

practical and use made of the data.

22

Key issue is identifying the

farm operators &

therefore the households

they belong to.

Sub holding and sub-holder (1) Different members of the same household responsible for

managing particular operations of the holding

Delegated management of some activities but holder retains overall management

Sub-holding: activity or group of activity managed on behalf of holder

o By one or more persons in the household

o Single plot, whole field, whole parcel

o Similar to plot manager or field operator

Sub-holder: person who manages the sub-holding on the behalf of holder

o May be more than one sub-holder per holding

Example: Holder is male, responsible as sub-holder for cash crops; sub-holder is the wife who manages the kitchen garden

Sub-holding and sub holder (2)

Level of management, decision making and

delegation of authority distinguishes from

household with two holdings o Separate management units – two holdings

o Delegated management – responsible only for

some operations of the holding – sub holdings

Identifies crop and livestock activities taken

under the operation/management of women

Role of women in decision making in the

households

Discussion

Matching units of enumeration

household/holding?

Dealing with many to one

matches?

Usefulness of Sub-holder concept?