ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) will conduct the 7th Agriculture Census field operation from August to October 2024 to collect the latest data on the agriculture sector for evidence-based policy planning.
This was stated by Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, Member Support Services and Resource Management and focal person for the 7th agricultural census while addressing a workshop on Wednesday.
The PBS has commenced a nationwide series of awareness building workshops aimed at engaging agricultural scientists, academia, researchers, agriculture business entrepreneurs, policy planners, and the general public on the upcoming Agricultural Census of Pakistan. For the first time in Pakistan's history, the 7th Agricultural Census 2024 will utilise an Integrated Digital Count approach.
On June 5, 2024, the third awareness-building workshop was held representing PBS's ongoing commitment to promoting broad awareness and participation in this crucial national endeavour.
Gondal apprised the participants about the activities carried out by PBS including the largest exercise of South Asia, 7th Population and Housing Census, the first ever Digital Census and other Surveys for provision of data for evidence-based policy planning. He highlighted the importance of the agricultural sector towards the economy of Pakistan and its contribution towards GDP.
He informed that agriculture sector contributes 24 per cent to GDP and 38 per cent of the Pakistan labour force is linked to agriculture, therefore, it is imperative that updated accurate and reliable data is available for policy planning.
He added that considering the complexity, urgency, and breadth of Agricultural census activities, implementing a digital solution becomes imperative for efficient management and control. Consequently, all data collection and administrative tasks are systematically organised within their respective modules. He informed that IT tools and techniques like tablets, laptops, internet devices will be utilised for the 7th Agricultural Census.
While discussing the field operations matter, he informed the extensive operational network, which includes field offices and 157 district offices nationwide. He added that the census field operations will initiate in August 2024 with the enumeration of large agricultural holdings, followed by subsequent phases in September and October, ensuring comprehensive coverage of all regions across the country. Regarding training of field staff, he added that robust training program has been devised, beginning with Census Master Trainers receiving training in Islamabad, who will then impart district-level training sessions. He informed that the final census report has been planned for release in September 2025 following comprehensive data analysis.
Naeem uz Zafar, chief statistician PBS, Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, Member Support Services and Resource Management along with Ayazuddin, Member for Census and Survey, and Rabia Awan, deputy director general of PBS, alongside other senior PBS officers, participated in the workshop.
Dr Zafar emphasized the significance of the agricultural census and its crucial role in the provision of accurate, timely and reliable data for evidence-based policy planning. He added that the Agricultural Census in Pakistan is vital for policymakers, offering crucial data insights essential for informed policy decisions and targeted investments, ensuring sustainable growth and development in the agricultural sector.
He expressed a desire for PBS and the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, to establish a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enable the sharing of information, experience, and knowledge.
Masood Anwar, secretary livestock, commended the efforts of PBS and stakeholders in advancing this national endeavour and stressed the importance of timely &accurate statistics in the agricultural sector for informed policy formulation and strategic investment. He expressed appreciation for the initiative taken by PBS and praised the extensive presentation which enhanced understanding of the various segments within the agricultural sector and their contributions to the economy, and provided up-to-date data critical for informed decision-making and policy planning. He also stressed collection of detailed characteristics of the agriculture households for holistic planning considering all dimensions. He also thanked all participants and the vice chancellor Agriculture University Faisalabad for their contribution to this significant national exercise.
The vice chancellor of the university, Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmed Khan, underlined the significance of supplying precise data in formulating the nation's agricultural policies and programmes. He stressed that the agricultural census serves as a pivotal initiative in offering a comprehensive insight into the strengths, weaknesses, and potential of our agricultural sectors, facilitating the identification of areas for enhancement, resource optimisation, and fostering innovation. He pledged his organisation's unwavering support for the effective implementation of the 7th Agriculture Census.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024