ICON-Institute Public Sector1 Important aspects of data processing and presenting format Vilnius, 5-6 September 2007 Transition Facility Statistical Cooperation Programme 2005 LOT 2 – Pesticide Indicators

ICON-Institute Public Sector2 Objectives of the project  Improve methodology of 2004 pilot survey  Strengthen administrative networks → Opportunity to test methodology in view of Regulation objectives: collecting comparable data making it possible to calculate harmonised risk indicators

ICON-Institute Public Sector3 Minimum data requirements  For each substance, compilation of: → total area surveyed/croped (ha) → basic area treated (ha) → average quantity applied per treated area (kg/ha) → average quantity applied per total cultivated area (kg/ha) → facultative: average n° of treatments

ICON-Institute Public Sector4 Minimum data requirements (continued)  For total (all crops), compilation of: → average n° treatments has to be provided

ICON-Institute Public Sector5 Other possible variables  name of the varieties,  n° of treatments,  crop rotation system,  dates of sowing and harvest,  water use,... → depends on BCs own interest, objectives, resources,national situation of agriculture, etc.

ICON-Institute Public Sector6 Data collection, validation  collaboration between statisticians and PP services for questionnaire design;  field work by experienced interviewers;  enable data checks (recommended application rates, dates of application etc.) on the spot when the enumerator enters the data to ease data processing;  check doubtful data (phone, , counter-visit, postal);

ICON-Institute Public Sector7 Data entry/processing  data input: importance of software used → Example of Slovenia: Blaise 4.7: 1 entry in the database = 1 parcel (or 1 farm), including all individual treatments received (up to a maximum of 10 but the system allows to go above this limit) → put several possibilities to check the data in order to avoid mistakes (e.g. system blocked if exceedance of defined limitations)

ICON-Institute Public Sector8 Data entry/processing (continued) → Example of Poland: programme in line with the EU draft regulation,producing national and regional data → link between the database with authorised PPPs (SPPS) and data entry programme; avoids much typing; → exhaustive manual is available, describing all steps in the process in full detail with practical examples ;

ICON-Institute Public Sector9 Data entry/processing (continued) → 2 rounds of data checks are made; → the application generates a set of standard tables; e.g.total a.s used per crop and its impact on the environment; → auxiliary information such as average n° of spraying, vulnerability for diseases and weather volatility can be added  → data can be sorted to e.g. choose the “top 5” a.s. etc.

ICON-Institute Public Sector10 Data entry/processing (continued)  conversion to active substance: can be done at questionnaire level already, give a code to avoid confusion between products having close names (cf. prefixes, suffixes);  conversion from liters to kg sometimes necessary (conversion factors);  data entry according to Eurostat standardised list of a.s.

ICON-Institute Public Sector11 Data analysis  Average quantity applied per treated area (Kg/ha): area treated is total area (including areas nearby rivers and hedgerows) receiving the applications, independently of the n° of applications;  Rate of application : amounts used on area treated

ICON-Institute Public Sector12 Data analysis (continued)  Use of raising factors to calculate national estimates;  Representativeness of data is addressed through sampling design;  Check of accuracy of obtained estimates; → Evaluation of the cost of the national survey.

ICON-Institute Public Sector13 Data reporting  No specific reporting format designed by Eurostat except the reporting table (Excel format, last updated in May 2007);  Each BC can design its own table for processing of their survey results;  Poland will present a proposal of reporting template during the Istanbul workshop

ICON-Institute Public Sector14 Thank you for your attention