Importance and Uses of Agricultural Statistics

1. Importance and Uses of Agricultural Statistics Section A

2. What are Agricultural Statistics? The collection, processing, and analysis of data on agricultural production, trade, price and associated services. Can be classified into two groups: • Agricultural structure • Agricultural activities

3. Social, Environmental and Economic Dimensions • Agriculture used to be the main economy of most countries • It remains one of the most important segments of the economy in developing countries • Globalization means that conditions in one country or region have an impact on the rest of the world

4. International Needs • Integrated data on trends and future prospects for agricultural commodity markets • Assess role of agriculture in trade and economic development • Guide efforts to meet food and agricultural production requirements for food security • Identify environmental impact of agricultural activities

5. National Government Needs • Economic development planning (SNA) • Monitoring Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and/or PRSPs • Determining federal policies and programs

6. Millennium Development Goals • Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger • Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability • Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

7. Producers and Private Sector Needs • Need data for taking action including: • Planting, breeding, feeding and marketing • Purchase and handling of agricultural commodities

8. Monitoring Poverty • Strong correlation between rural areas, poverty and agriculture • Data on subsistence farmers is useful for targeting development programs • Community level data identifies constraints and opportunities

9. Monitoring Food Security • Data on food availability and access provides current food security overview • Household consumption and expenditure data more precisely identifies at risk households and communities • Integrated data including weather and natural disaster patterns is a valuable planning tool

10. Monitoring Gender Equality • Women and children in rural poor families often work as unpaid family workers • Better data could assist in capturing the informal sector in agricultural labor • Analysis of labor and agricultural holdings by sex could indicate gender issues

11. Global Gender Statistics • Where do women work? • 19.3% in the industry sector (26.6 % for men) • 46.3% in the services sector (41.2% for men) • 35.4% in the agricultural sector (32.2% for men) Source: Global Employment Trends for Women International Labour Office - Geneva: ILO, 2009 (www.ilo.org/public/libdoc/ilo/P/09275/09275(2009).pdf)

12. Policy and Planning Research • Analysis of an important or particular crop or livestock • Geographical area studies can look at how to maximize production • Policy decisions can use information on agricultural holding characteristics

13. Monitoring Agricultural Projects • Baseline data from agricultural census • Outcome measures from survey variables • Impact assessment from specific studies and, where possible, subsequent agricultural census data

14. Improve Current Agricultural Statistics • Agricultural Censuses • Standardization for comparability • Documentation of methodologies assists in usability

15. Environmental Statistics • Growing public concern over environmental impact of agriculture • Need common framework with well-defined indicators (OECD) • Track trends over time by type and method of production and geographic area

16. Global Environmental Data • 38% of the total land area is used for agricultural activities • 20% of land under cultivation is irrigated • 70% of water used is for agriculture, 20% for industry and 10% for domestic use Source: Food and Agricultural Statistics Global Outlook, June 2006 (faostat.fao.org/Portals/_Faostat/documents/pdf/world.pdf)

17. Climate Change • Agriculture is weather and climate dependent • Need to consider changing climate impacts on production in fragile areas • Statistical agencies in some countries are working to develop a standard framework

18. Natural Resource Management • Usually agricultural production uses a large percentage of water resource • More information is needed to examine water resources by availability and uses • Analysis of flood and drought prone area’s agricultural holdings and population distribution would help to inform policies

19. Monitoring Biodiversity Goal: Establish framework to cover the diversity of flora and fauna within the social, economic and environmental interactions, including agricultural holdings • Agricultural holdings cover large areas and provide habitat for flora and fauna, making them a great means of monitoring biodiversity

20. Monitoring Biofuel Needs • Agricultural statistics are good source to track biofuel trends and market impact • Feed stocks being used as biofuel (sugarcane, corn, etc.) • Increased profits for agricultural producers • Increases price of food and feed sources for others

21. Section A Quiz • Agricultural statistics can be classified into what two groups? • Why do producers and private sector need agricultural statistics? • What percentage of the world’s land is use for agricultural activities? • What does agriculture have to do with poverty?