Census results to inform agricultural planning and food security policies

Windhoek – Accurate and up to date data is critical for evidence-based policy making on agricultural planning, poverty reduction and improved food security. In order to update agricultural data, the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) in close consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) and with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) undertook an Agricultural census in 2014 whose findings were presented today.

Speaking at the launch, Hon. John Mutorwa, Minister for Agriculture, Water and Forestry highlighted that, “The Agricultural Census is a large-scale statistical operation for the collection of data and information about the state and structure of agriculture in our country, which is a vital sector for the Namibian economy.  When resources permit, the standard census would be carried out similar to Population and Housing Census, i.e every ten years (decade).”

This census was unique as it incorporated both the smallholder and commercial agriculture sectors in the country, coming up with updated data to replace information that was gathered two decades ago during the 1994/1995 agriculture census. The latest census provides updated data, which would serve as a sample frame, and also for monitoring of government programmes and policies.

Speaking at the presentation of the findings of the census, the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry said the census was critical for planning as it gave very important and relevant information on activities in the agricultural sector.

“I am reliably informed that with the kind technical assistance provided by the FAO, the 2013/14 Namibia Census of Agriculture has followed the guidelines set by the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture (VVCA 2010) to enable the countries to carry out their national agricultural census using standard international concepts, definitions and methodology,” said the Minister.

The Minister added that the information from the census is detailed and covers land use, access to extension services, equipment and infrastructure, access to credit facilities, farm management, aquaculture or fish farming, forestry, food security, other economic activities, labour inputs, crop production and livestock.

Speaking at the same occasion, Babagana Ahmadu, FAO Country Representative for Namibia, said the census is the first step in enhancing agricultural statistics as it provides the needed benchmark for future estimates. “In October 2012, the NSA requested FAO to initiate a technical cooperation programme in support of the 2013/2014 Namibia Census of Agriculture that conforms to applicable global principles. With complementary resources mainly focused towards technical expertise, capacity development and technology input, the FAO has since ensured that the Census met all the requirements and standards of the “2010 FAO World Programme for the Census of Agriculture” guidelines. This global framework prescribes that countries will undertake their agricultural census in modules, rather than as a single one-off operation.” said Ahmadu.

The census has shown the has given important information on land ownership, which crops are produced, the type of extension services that farmers receive, the range of farm management, inputs used and livestock husbandry among other issues. Namibia, like many other countries, relied on structurally old data, which may not reflect the changed patterns on the ground and this made policy formulation a mammoth task as it was informed by inaccurate data. By updating agricultural data, the country has laid a well-founded foundation for policy formulation as well as planning on the sector.