1. 1Your reference The Menu of Indicators and the Core Set from the South African Point of View Moses Mnyaka 13/08/2009

2. 2Your reference Overview Background Current situation and core indicators Proposed strategy on agricultural statistics Conclusion

3. 3Your reference Background Agricultural statistics in South Africa, have been collected through censuses and surveys as far back as 1918. The major focus has been on primary commercial farming. Small scale and subsistence farming data collection, processing and dissemination was done on Ad hock basis, as per user request, e.g. 2000 Survey on large and small scale farming. The core indicators measured included land tenure, production, income and expenditure, employment and farming debt. Statistical agency was responsible for conducting the censuses and surveys. Forestry, fishing, climate and environmental data were collected separately by other government departments.

4. 4Your reference Background (Concluded) Ministry of Agriculture worked independently from the Statistical Agency. Insufficient collaboration between the two departments. Lack of integration between census of agriculture and the population census. Other users and data producers did not work in national system, resulting in difference use of concepts and definitions, standards and methodologies by different institutions.

5. 5Your reference Current situation and core indicators Over the last seven years there has been some improvements on collaborations and partnerships between government departments, private sector institutions and the statistical agency. Formulation of a National Statistical System (NSS) on official statistics. Similar gaps still in existence within the agricultural statistics framework. Improvements on data use and confrontation from other producers. Lack of data quality certification process due to the lack of the principles and dimensions of official statistics from other data producers. The latest census of agriculture was conducted under the guidance of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) World Census Programme.

6. 6Your reference Current situation and core indicators ( Concluded ) Community, environment and climate data are collected through socio-economic household based surveys like General Household Survey and Income and Expenditure Survey. Agricultural census and survey continue to focus on collecting information for economic indicators, like Gross Domestic Product, for national accounts purpose and for job creation. Sampling Frame derived from List registered enterprises. Census and Surveys conducted via postal mail, electronic mail, telephone and personal visits. Data producers continue to work in isolation from each other. Fatigue on the shoulders of data suppliers and insufficient data for user needs.

7. 7Your reference Proposed Strategy on Agricultural Statistics Proposal for a Strategy on Agricultural Statistics. Evaluate the current status of agricultural statistics. Assess and verify user needs through a questionnaire and a workshop. Evaluate and make a proposal of the best approaches. Draw a ten year plan that include short, medium, and long term goals. Creating a frame by including three questions in the Population Census 2011 questionnaire to identify if household is involved in any agricultural activity.

8. 8Your reference Proposed Strategy on Agricultural Statistics (concluded) Possible surveys for consideration Conduct a ten year census of agriculture covering small scale farming at household level Conduct a five yearly census of commercial agriculture. Conduct censuses of livestock, horticulture and crop farming on a three yearly basis. Do an annual survey on large scale farmers covering financial variables. Conduct a quarterly survey on employment and production statistics. It is also part of the new strategy to improve the skills base in the agricultural statistics field.

9. 9Your reference Conclusion The Strategy on Agricultural Statistics will help improve the quality of data. Identification of other data producers. Minimising the core indicators that we need to focus upon. Encouraging collaboration and partnership between agricultural data producers in public and private sector entities. Broaden the scope and coverage of the agricultural sector on data collection and dissemination. Improve on the methodology and standards used (including standardisation of concepts and definitions). Link data collection and dissemination practices with international best practices. Pay attention to food security and job security. Data quality certification implementation

10. 10Your reference End Thank you