Methodological Recommendations for Improving the Programme for Censuses of Agriculture in the CIS States

This methodological document is a product of research conducted by experts of the CIS of Independent States on adapting the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2020 (developed under the leadership of the FAO) tostatistical practices of the CIS countries in agriculture and developing unified approaches to agricultural censuses in the CIS countries. This is the first part of the article which presents an analysis of conceptual differences between the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2020 and that of the 2010 census round and formulates a series of organizational and methodological suggestions on conducting agricultural censuses in the CIS countries on the basis of the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2020. The paper emphasizes that the WCA 2020 is based on those recommendations from the «Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics» that are directly relevant to organizing and carrying out agricultural census. This approach stipulated conceptual differences of the WCA 2020 from the WCA 2010. However, developing of the WCA 2020 included analyzing best practices of selected countries in the 2010 census round which resulted in improving the census methodology.

This methodological material defines categories of agricultural producers, explained the notions of scope, coverage of agricultural census, key items recommended for inclusion in the programme of agricultural censuses in the CIS countries for data collection - statistical units.

There is a separate issue concerning essential items that are considered imperative for the inclusion of into questionnaires and are used as a basis or benchmark forinternational comparability of results of agricultural census. At the same time, it is stressed that the use of essential items in national and international questionnaires mandatory though it may be doesn’t imply the fact that they should be included into all questionnaires regardless the type of agricultural producers. The paper describes various modifications for the items, proposed to be included in questionnaires, depending on the category of agricultural producers.