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An Agriculture Census
posted (February 1, 2011)
We've heard of a population census, but weren't quite sure what to think when we heard about an agriculture census today. It will give policy makers and planners a detailed assessment of the current situation on agriculture in the country. The process will take between 6 to 8th weeks and 200 hundred people will be hired to do the actual data collection. Coordinator of the Belize Agriculture Census, Roberto Harrison, explained more.

Roberto Harrison, Belize Agriculture Census
"The last time an agriculture census was dome of this magnitude was in 1984/5. the second objective of this census should be that base on the data collected we will have framework to establish a agriculture statistical system that will be consistent and reliable base on the needs of the users which are public bodies, international funding agencies, commercial banks and other. The questionnaire is a 16 page questionnaire and it has 7 sections to it. It requires about 45-60 minutes to complete a questionnaire. It asks questions about the farm and farmer identification, total land use, land tenure, actual land use of that land be it in temporary or permanent crops. it ask for livestock situation. It asks about farm equipment availability. it asks farm household contribution to the development of the farm."

"The purpose of this census, there are 7 screening questions that if one or a combination of those questions qualify you to be enumerated. The basic question if you have half acre of land then you are eligible to be enumerated. If you have 5 heads of cattle or 5 heads of sheep goat, you qualify to be enumerated. If you have 10 colonies of bees you fill that criteria. If you have a pond that you do fish farming you qualify to be enumerated. So if you fit any one of those selection questions then you automatically will be enumerated."

It is a National Census which means the entire country of Belize will be covered, including San Pedro and Caye Caulker. The project is funded through technical assistance from the food and agricultural organization, the government of Belize and the statistical institute of Belize.

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