MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Contents  Agriculture - in Norway?  Why change our statistical systems?  What is agriculture?  Reconsidering basic statistical units  Choosing methods of data collection  The significance of Farm Registers  An example of system integration  Future challenges  national level  international level

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Some features of Norwegian agriculture  Agricultural land cover 3.4 per cent of the total land area  Of total agricultural area in use:  63 per cent meadows for mowing and pastures  32 per cent grain and oil seeds

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Trends in agricultural production volume (index 1970=100) and share of employment and GDP *

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Number of holdings and their average size (decares 1 ) *

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Background of Norwegian agricultural statistics  Full Census every tenth year  Yearly sample surveys  Growing importance of administrative sources  Compliance with EU legal acts from 1994

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Why change our statistical systems?  The changing world (of agriculture)  New user needs  Relieving respondent burden  New ICT-tools provide new opportunities  Adapting to EU requirements 1  Budgetary constraints 1) What happens after 2007?

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics The point of departure: What is agriculture?  Differentiate between core and borderline areas  Examples of borderline areas:  food processing and sale  living conditions of farm households  environmental issues  rural aspects  food safety  Borderline areas are important

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Reconsidering basic units  traditional holding versus “group holding”  farmer versus farm household  more attention to ground properties  thresholds

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Choice of method for data collection should be taken in the following order 1.Reuse of existing data 2.Extract data from administrative sources 3.Conduct surveys (list or frame) 4.Conduct full censuses

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics The Norwegian Farm Register  Main purpose: administration  Second purpose: official statistics  Basic units:properties and owners holdings and holders  Common identification  Many users  governmental offices  farmers co-operatives

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Objectives of an integrated agri-statistical system 1.Yearly complete population 2.Links between basic units 3.Yearly update of relevant characteristics 4.Consistency between micro and macro 5.Attention to definitions, classifications and metadata

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Simplified model of an integrated agri-statistical system

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Future challenges at national level  To refine and expand the integrated system  To create better links to other branches of official statistics  To improve co-operation with other national institutes  To make better use of ICT web-based questionnaires web-based questionnaires intensified use of GIS intensified use of GIS intensified use of computer-based checking and edition intensified use of computer-based checking and edition  To obtain resources for answering to new needs

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics Challenges for international institutions  identify policy needs at international level  clarify the scope of agriculture  identify areas of common interest  make statistics available to a broad audience  develop and maintain clear definitions  keep stock of CBM  co-operate among each other ! and…………

MEXAI 2004 Striving for continuity and comparability in agricultural statistics....bring us together Thank you!