In-depth%20Surveys%20in%20the%20Agricultural%20Census%20in%20India%20

1
In-depth Surveys in the Agricultural Census in
India  

• Anand Kumar Ojha,
• Deputy Director
• Agricultural Census Division
• Ministry of Agriculture
• India

2
Introduction

•  The diversity of climatic condition, the wide
  spectrum of crops, plantations, allied activities
  and vast untapped potential makes Indian
  Agriculture an enchanting challenge to policy
  makers and investors. The agro-climatic
  conditions vary from hill regions of Himalayas,
  gangetic plains of central India, plateau and
  hills of southern, western and eastern India, dry
  areas of western India.
• With these diversities, the Indian Agriculture,
  which contributes 23 to GDP, is a main source of
  survival for the rural populace.
• Because of the historical importance on
  agriculture, land revenue was one of the main
  sources of the State income. This had
  necessitated maintenance of land records relating
  to cultivation and other parameters.

3
Introduction (Contd..)

• India is one of the few countries in the world
  who has developed a sound system of land records
  including village maps and numberd parcels of
  land with identified boundaries.
• The collection of agriculture statistics in India
  based on the land records Therefore, the
  Agriculture Census is conducted mainly on the
  information available in the land records. This
  type of information is suitably re-tabulated by
  difference size of operational holdings, social
  groups (like Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes
  and Others) and gender in Agriculture Census.
• The details of land records, which are maintained
  by village revenue agency ( Patwaris)
  include tenancy, land use, irrigation, sources of
  irrigation, crops grown (irrigated unirrigated)
  and spread of holdings of individual operators.
  Wherever, the land is operated by more than one
  operational holding of different households, the
  system of joint holdings are recorded in the land
  records. Land operated by institutions are also
  separately indicated.  

4
Introduction (Contd..)

• The first Agriculture Census was conducted in
  1970-71 under the able guidance of FAO. In view
  of the fast changes in structure of holdings,
  India follows the quinquennial periodicity to
  conduct Agriculture Census rather than decennial,
  as recommended by the FAO. So far, Censuses has
  been conducted with reference years 1970-71,
  176-77, 1980-81, 1985-86, 1990-91, 1995-96 and
  2000-01. Currently, we have launched the next
  Agriculture Census 2005-06 and have also
  initiated steps to streamline the Census taking
  with reference year 2010-2011 (WCA 2010) for
  which a Technical Committee has been setup to
  examine various issues like sampling design,
  integration of different surveys/censuses being
  conducted in the country. In Agriculture Census,
  the reference period is the agricultural year
  i.e. from July to June.

5
Methodology 

• The Agriculture Census of operational holdings
  follow census-cum-sample approach.
• The entire Census taking is divided into three
  phases.
• Under Phase-I, we collect the basic data on
  number of operational holdings and area operated
  on complete enumeration basis.
• In Phase-II, we collect details on different
  characteristics of operational holdings like
  tenancy, land use, cropping pattern,etc.
  Initially, this was also done on complete
  enumeration basis upto 1980-81. However, due to
  administrative reasons, we restricted to the data
  collection to 20 sample. Here, 20 of villages
  are selected randomly and all the holdings of the
  selected villages are enumerated.
• Under Phase-III, a separate survey called Input
  Survey is conducted in 7 villages to elicit
  information on inputs use like fertilizers,
  livestock, agricultural implements and machinery,
  flow of agriculture credit besides multiple
  cropping. This information is collected by
  different size groups of holding like marginal
  (below 1 ha.), small (1 2 ha.), semi-medium (2
  4 ha.), medium (4 10 ha.) and large (10 ha.
  above) holdings. However, in phase-I and Phase-II
  the information is collected by 10 size classes
  of holdings i.e. below 0.5 ha., 0.5 1.0 ha.,
  1.0 2.0 ha., 2.0 3.0 ha., 3.0 4.0 ha., 4.0
  5.0 ha., 5.0 7.5 ha., 7.5 10.0 ha., 10.0
  20.0 ha and above 20.0 ha.

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Methodology (Contd..)
For Phase-I Phase-II operation, the country
has been classified as i) land recorded area and
ii)  non-land recorded area. In land recorded
area wherein the land records are updated every
year, the census is conducted by retabulation of
information available in the land records. This
constitute 90 of the total area in the country.
The remaining 10 area, known as non-land
recorded area wherein the land records are not
updated on year to year basis. In these areas,
the data on operational holdings are collected
through sample survey. In the non-land recorded
area a sample of 20 villages are selected and a
sample of 25 holdings are further selected from
these 20 villages for collection of detailed
data on operational holdings.
7
Coverage
The data collected in different phase of
Agriculture Census are 1.  Agriculture Census
phase-I, Number of operational holdings and area
operated 2. Agriculture Census phase-II
tenure of holding, tenancy, land use, irrigation
status, sources of irrigation, number of wells
and tube wells, cropped area, dispersal of area
3.   Agricultural Census Phase-III (Input
Survey) Number of parcels of land, multiple
cropping by irrigated area and unirrigated area,
use of chemical fertilizers by nutrients, use of
bio-fertilizers, livestock, agriculture
implements and machinery, agriculture credit, use
of certified seeds.
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Improvements
During the course of Census taking since 1970-71,
we have made improvements in coverage of
Agriculture Census. Initially, we started
collecting data on tenure of land holding,
tenancy, land use, irrigation including source of
irrigation, number of wells and tube wells, area
under different crops, dispersal of land. In
1976-77, we separately tabulated the area
operated by institutional holdings. From
Agriculture Census 1980-81, the data on different
social groups, like, Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes have been collected.  In
1990-91, the electronic data processing was
introduced in some parts of the country.  In
1995-96, the entire tabulation work was done
electronically to generate data from lowest
administrative level. In order to identify the
women participation in agriculture, data on
operational holdings has been tabulated by gender
(male and female).   In 2000-01, the community
(village) level data giving infrastructure
facilities available in each village was
collected. The information related to public
godowns, public cold storage, fertilizer/pesticide
dealers, seed dealers, credit institutions,
veterinary centers, regulated markets and road
facilities are collected. Also, in view of the
importance given for horticulture crops, the
collection of data on individual horticulture
crops grown by the operational holdings had been
emphasized.
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Household Surveys
Wherever the data are not available from
records, we go in for household sample surveys in
Agricultural Census to collect the desired
information. At least in two phases of Census
taking in India we go for in-depth
surveys.   1.      Agricultural Census Phase 1
II in non-land recorded area As explained
earlier, about 10 of area in the country the
land record system is permanently settled. Ie.,
to say that the land records are not regularly
updated on year to year basis and the land record
is standardized for the purpose of land revenue.
The land revenues are fixed on ownership basis
without giving regard to irrigation potential or
crops grown in those areas. In these areas
Government of India have established a system
called EARAS Establishment of Agency for
Recording Agricultural Statistics- who collect
information on sample basis for the agricultural
statistics. Under Agricultural Census also, the
villages are selected (20 villages) and a
sub-sample of 25 operational holding in these
villages are approached for detailed enquiry for
data collection. Suitable estimation procedure
are applied to arrive at the population totals.
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In-depth surveys (Contd..)
    2. Input Survey This is the third phase
of Census taking in India. The entire operation
is entirely based on households sample survey
approach. The operational holding listed in
Agricultural Census in phase I will form the
basic frame for data collection. However, for
generation of quick estimates, the sample number
of villages to be covered under this survey is 7
of villages in each stratum. The enumerators are
selected from the Statistical personnel of the
Government who are well trained for the purpose.
Before launch of the survey, each person is given
sufficient training.   .
11
In-depth surveys(contd..)

• The sampling procedure is as follows
•  
• 7 villages in the lowest administrative unit
  (Tehsil or Block) are selected. In each selected
  villages a maximum of 4 operational holdings each
  from marginal (below 1 ha.), small (1 2 ha.),
  semi-medium (2 4 ha.), medium (4 10 ha.) and
  large (10 ha. above) holdings are selected at
  random and details of multiple cropping, usage of
  fertilizers, live stock, Agri. Implements and
  machinery, agricultural credit are collected.
• One may ask on why only four holdings in each
  size groups. I would like to inform that we
  undertook detailed pilot studies before launching
  the sample survey operations in Input Survey. The
  pilot studies were conducted by our national
  Institute on Agricultural Statistics Indian
  Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New
  Delhi, India . The basic assumption was that 20
  of operational holdings were sufficient sample in
  selected villages and that being homogenized at
  size group level. Average of four holdings in a
  size group will serve a suitable representation
  to that size group.

12
In-depth surveys(contd..)

• The village level, tehsil/block level estimates
  are generated using standard estimation
  procedures and added up to get District/State and
  All India estimates.
• 3. The data on community development ie.,
  Information on Village Infrastructure is also
  collected on the basis of surveys in all the
  villages in the country although we cover only
  20 villages in the non-land record States in
  Phase I II. In this survey, village is the
  statistical unit. The information is collected on
  ten items like no. of community ponds, no. of
  public godowns, no. of public cold storage, no.
  of fertilizers/pesticides dealers, no. of seed
  dealers, no. of formal agricultural credit
  institutions, no. of veterinary / livestock
  centre, no. regulated mandis, no. of agricultural
  credit society and whether village is connected
  by all weather motorable road.
•  

13
Experiences
The Implementing agencies in various States of
the country have their own priorities and hence
sometimes the data collection is delayed, mostly
due to elections, drought, floods etc.   The
enormity of the number of schedules (100 million
approximately) to be tabulated makes the task
gigantic. Until the Agriculture Census 1990-91,
the tabulation of data was done manually and
partly electronically.   After fieldwork is
over, all the schedules are scrutinized manually.
Inspite of detailed guidelines, we feel lot of
problems in EDP in view of errors coming up at
validation stage.   Our experience has helped us
to suitably modify the process of manual
scrutiny, auto-correction at different stages
which helped in successful completion of the
Census operations
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Future Plans
As Agriculture Census was not supported by any
legislation except general guidelines under
Official Statistics Act, we are trying to bring
out legislation for the conduct of Agriculture
Census in India. It is hoped that legislation may
come into force before 2010. We have also formed
a Technical Committee to look into the following
aspects for improvement of Agriculture Census in
India including legislation. 1. In view of the
entirely different methodology and concepts used
in the Agricultural Census and Population Census
in India, the issue of integrating these two
censuses need to be looked into in detail before
any decision is taken. 2.  Merging of other
censuses like Livestock Census, Irrigation
Census, etc would also be considered. 3. Integrati
ng Acqua-culture holdings with Agricultural
Holdings for combined survey under Agriculture
Census needs detailed discussions in
India. 4.  The re-tabulation of information on
land holdings as has been done till now in India
is likely to be continued for the future censuses
also subject to the recommendations of the
Technical Committee constituted for the
Agriculture Census, 2010-11.
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