1 Operationalisation of the Modular Approach, and Integration of Census and Surveys Mukesh K Srivastava FAO Statistics Division

2 WCA 2010: Why a Modular approach? Difficult trade off between high data demands and limited financial and manpower resources Fragmented and isolated efforts to collect statistics; often duplication and resulting in coherence Limited scope of analysis The modular approach provides a “Globally Optimum Strategy” i.e. maximum satisfaction of maximum users Can be implemented in a phased manner or by different agencies

3 Modular plan of census and surveys Agricultural census as the central component of the system of agricultural sample surveys – Core Census (16 core data items) – Census supplementary modules. A series of thematic agricultural sample surveys surveys based on the agricultural census – planned as part of agricultural census plan – based on sampling frames obtained from the agricultural census – provide more detailed data on specific topics – Examples: agricultural practices, time use, cost of production, ongoing surveys on crop and livestock production or adhoc surveys for estimation of livestock yields

4 Crops Acquaculture RuralLivestock Agricultural Census Cost of Production Agricultural Inputs Agricultural Labour Time Use Crops Yields Rural Activities/ Income/ Infrastructure Population Census Livestock Yield Coefficients Crop Production Livestock Production Water Use Fish Production Water Use AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT ( SOCIAL: Livelihood, Food security, Gender)

5 Outline of agricultural census/survey programme Themes

6 Hierarchy of data items: Livestock Type of information Questions/ data items Type of surveyPeriodicity/ sampling fraction List of holdings by livestock types, livestock population by small administrative unit Is the holding engaged in livestock production? If so, number of animals Population census or agriculture census decadal, complete enumeration Livestock production system Rearing system, feed system, use of vet service Agricultural census/ Livestock survey decadal / 5 yearly, sample Livestock ProductionLivestock death, birth, acquisition, slaughter, milk status Special livestock Survey Annual/ sufficiently large sample Livestock Yieldsyields of milk, meat, honey Yield survey5 yearly, Thin sample

7 Acquaculture Complete enumeration (for frame) – presence of aquaculture Enumeration by sampling methods. – area of aquaculture by type of site – 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 In some countries where most agricultural holdings are engaged in aquaculture, there may be module along with the agricultural census This strategy may be used for a specific region of the country

8 Examples of modular approach Thailand: long-short form using systematic sampling – Minor crops by sampling India: Phased programme without any connection to Population Census – Input survey on a thin survey (1% sample based on two stage stratified sampling) Niger: – Core module piggy backed on the Population Census – A series of thematic surveys: Food security, Vegetables, Livestock productivity, annual Crop production Jordan: use of PDA, logical questions

9 Planning a modular programme Assessment of ongoing statistical activities in the country Assessment of user demand – A formal User Survey – A Working group of data producers and users – Structured interviews of prominent users – Regular comments received through internet Synthesis of assessment in a User-Producer workshop Build partnerships in execution of survey plan

10 Analysis of data demands Specify for each data item: – the degree of details with which the data is required, – the administrative level (s) at which the data is needed, – the acceptable level of precision in the estimates, – the frequency/ periodicity at which the data is needed, – the number of users a data items, and – the use of the data. Analysis of user profile: – interest in a project area or national Classify the data items as suitable for: – Complete Enumeration or – Sample survey

11 Who does what? NSO – Conducts surveys of national importance – Such surveys which do need very skilled manpower – Provides technical leadership (frame, sampling scheme, training) to executing agency e.g. Ministry of agriculture Ministry of agriculture – Crop monitoring – Yield measurement, norms Ministry of Rural Development – Income – expenditure – Credit, debt, investment – Rural/agro- tourism

12 Cost considerations Options of sampling designs Phased programme Restricting the coverage of census/survey to a specified area e.g. fishing and aquaculture survey restricted to coastal area Sharing of cost between the agencies

13 Conclusions Survey planning is more an Art than Science The job of a survey planner is like that of an Architect, who uses his technical skills to ensure optimal utilization of available resources in a creative way. Sampling Expert is an Engineer.

14 Shukran Recommended readings: What is a census? Hand out on this topic WCA 2010 document in Arabic