Land-related items collected in the 2014 Census of Agriculture (CA 2014) in Mauritius

1. Roundtable Meeting on World Programme
for the 2020 Round of Censuses of Agriculture
Dakar, Senegal, 7-11 November 2016
Name of presenter and contact person: Banysing UNMAR
Title: Senior Statistician
Name of agency: Statistics Mauritius
E-mail address : bunmar@govmu.org
Land-related items
collected in the 2014
Census of Agriculture (CA
2014) in Mauritius
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2. 2
 Introduction & Background
 Methodology
 LAND Items recommended in WCA 2020 and covered in CA 2014
 LAND items covered in CA 2014 in addition to list of items
recommended in WCA 2020
 Major challenges encountered related to collection of LAND items
in CA 2014
 Changes that can be introduced regarding the LAND theme in next
census of agriculture in light of WCA 2020
 Relevant links to census instruments, reports with census results and
other census material
Outline

3. 3
 Historical background: 1st Census of Agriculture in Mauritius
was conducted in 1930, second one in 1940 and the last one in
2014.
 Legal basis:
(1) The 2014 Census of Agriculture (CA 2014) was conducted
according to Statistics Act Amended 2011
(2) All questionnaires approved by Statistics Board
(3) Followed by approval of Cabinet for the taking of CA 2014
(4) Finally gazetting
Introduction & Background

4. 4
 Census organization: CA 2014 was conducted by Statistics
Mauritius (SM) with the collaboration of Ministry of Agro Industry &
Food Security (MAIFS) and other organisations/Ministry namely:
(1) Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI)
(2) Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for budget
(3) Government Printing Office for printing of survey documents
 Technical Assistance: FAO (TCP Facility & TCP Project)
 Funds: mostly by Government of Mauritius (approx. USD 400,000)
and partly by FAO (consultants fees, equipment, seminars/workshops
etc) out of a project value of USD 204,000.
Introduction & Background

5. Methodology
 An agricultural holding is an economic unit of agricultural production under
single management comprising all livestock kept and all land used for
agricultural production purposes without regard to title, legal form or size.
(i) Any household cultivating a piece of land, on own account, and for commercial
production (at least 5 perches) 1 perche ≈ 40 square metres
(ii) Any housing unit having a kitchen garden (at least 5 perches)
(iii) Any housing unit having fruit trees on the premises with a certain cut-off:
 Breadfruit, lychee, mango (at least 5 trees)
 Lemon, mandarin, coconut, guava, other citrus, mixed fruit trees (at least 10 trees)
 Banana, pawpaw (at least 20 trees)
 Pineapple, lychee, vegetables, fruits-other, crops-other (at least 5 perches)
(iv) All honey producers
(v) All deer farms
(vi) No minimum size for livestock and poultry
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6. Methodology
 Statistical coverage: Food crops, fruits, flowers, livestock &
poultry excluding sugar cane, tea and plant propagation
 Sugar cane excluded since most of the data required is available at
the Sugar Insurance Fund Board (SIFB);
 Tea excluded since most of the data required is available at NAPRO
(ex-Tea Board)
 Geographical coverage: National (Islands of Mauritius &
Rodrigues)
 All geographic areas were covered
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7. Methodology
 Methodological approach used in the census: Classical
 Enumeration: Combination of Complete & Sample
 Frame (list):
(1) Farms of the household sector from databases of MAIFS &
FAREI and also information collected from 2011 Housing Census
(2) Farms of the non-household sector from databases of SM,
MAIFS, FAREI & other administrative sources
 Questionnaires used:
(1) “Business” for holdings of non-household sector (CA1)
(2) “Farm” for holdings of household sector (CA3)
(3) “Household” for post-enumeration survey (CA4)
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8. Methodology
 Enumeration period: July to December 2014 in 3 phases
 Reference period: July 2013 to June 2014 (area and production)
 Reference date: 30 June 2013 (livestock numbers)
 Enumeration method:
(1) complete for holdings of the ‘non-household sector’ and ‘large’
holdings of the household sector;
(2) sample for remaining ‘small’ and ‘medium’ holdings of the
household sector
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9. Methodology
 Post-enumeration survey: Sample Survey of 8,778 private
households used to:
(1) enable estimates for agricultural holdings beneath minimum size
limit of 5 perches and below minimum number of fruit trees;
(2) evaluate completeness of frame of agricultural holdings; and
(3) obtain some data relevant to the household such as involvement
in other related activities such as fishing, aquaculture, forestry,
agro-processing etc.
 Census innovations: Nil as CA 2014 was first big Census after
previous one of 1940. Innovations can be considered for next
Census.
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10. LAND Items recommended in WCA
2020 and covered in CA 2014
 Total area of holding
 Area of holding by land use type
 Area of holding by land tenure type
 For each parcel: Location, Area & Land use
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11. LAND items covered in CA 2014
in addition to list of items
recommended in WCA 2020
 Land area rented to others by the farmer
 Area of exercise yard for livestock
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12. Major challenges encountered related to
collection of LAND items in CA 2014
 Total area of holding: Some discrepancies as not
physically measured
 Land use: Land used solely for livestock (including
exercise yard, if any) in the household sector
 Land tenure: Nil
 Parcel: Estimation of size of dwelling parcel in the
household sector
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13. Changes that can be introduced regarding the
LAND theme in next census of agriculture in
light of WCA 2020
 Census reference day
 Land under farm buildings and farmyards
 Area used for aquaculture
 Presence of soil degradation: type and degree (for the
holding)
 Further disaggregation of some items depending on user
needs
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14. Relevant links to census instruments,
reports with census results and other
census materials
 Preliminary results of the CA2014 were published in October
2015 and can be accessed through the following link:
http://statsmauritius.govmu.org/English/Publications/Pages/Census-of-
Agriculture-2014.aspx
 Thematic reports will be disseminated by end November 2016
and links will be provided
 Census report will be disseminated by end December 2016
(some recommendations will emanate from the Round Table
discussions) 14

15. THANK YOU
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