1. Extending Agricultural Census to Cover Rural Statistics
Mukesh K. Srivastava
FAO Statistics Division
Roundtable, Samoa, March 2009

2. Why extend scope of Agri- Census?
Ultimate use of Statistics is to measure Social Welfare: Production, Income and Consumption
Although we have divided the economy into sectors (ISIC) for better understanding of data, the productive activities of households tend to cut across ISIC groups and classes
In non-market oriented informal production sector (rural area) often the division of agriculture and non-agriculture is blurred e.g agro-tourism
There may exist units which are not directly contributing to agriculture production but have strong forward and backward linkages with agriculture. For example, they may be providing goods and services to agriculture sector or may depend on agriculture for input supply, e. g. agricultural service providers, handicrafts makers, food processing etc.
Total economic contribution of non-agriculture household may be significant.

3. Rural?
There does not exist an internationally accepted definition of rural area
Country specific demarcation of Rural and Urban areas is available, usually from Population Census
Usually, the smallest administrative units are classified as belonging to Rural or Urban area based on:
Population density
Extent of agriculture and non-agriculture activities
Existence of type infrastructure and social services

4. Statistical considerations for widening scope of agricultural census
Need to define the Statistical Unit, while clearly maintaining distinction between “agriculture holdings” and “non-agriculture holding/households”
Households whose:
at least one member is employed in agriculture, not-necessarily on the holding managed by him/her
main source of income is agriculture
members pursing some other specified economic production activities, eg. fishing, providing agricultural services etc. (see also data items 0014, 0015 and 0016 )
Usually, it may practical to obtain a frame for different types of households and carry out specialized surveys on the basis of these frames.

5. Key Messages
Examine options for collecting data on often neglected income generating activities in rural areas, using the opportunity of agricultural census
Maintain a conceptual clarity between agriculture and non-agriculture for the purpose of National Income Accounting.

6. Thank You!