Govt launches 11th agricultural census 2021-22
Recently, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched the 11th Agricultural Census (2021-2022).
The Agricultural Census of India has been conducted since 1970-71 in collaboration with the States and Union Territories.
This computation is done under the Global Agricultural Computation Program of the United Nations Agriculture and Food Organization (FAO). This computation is done every 5 years. It is the main source of information on different indicators.
These indicators include the following:
- The nature and size of landholdings under cultivation,
- Class-wise distribution of land holdings,
- land use statistics,
- Tenancy and cropping patterns.
- Agricultural computing provides the basis for the development of a comprehensively integrated national system of agricultural statistics. At the same time, it is also associated with different components of the National Statistical System.
- Data collection will be done on smartphones and tablets for the first time during the 11th computation. This will help in fast and accurate calculations.
- Most states have digitized land records and surveys. This will further speed up the collection of agricultural census data.
Findings of 10th Agricultural Census (2015-16) –
- 2% of all farmers are small and marginal farmers, but they had only 47.3% of the cropped area. (Farmers with less than two hectares of land are called small and marginal farmers.)
- Uneven distribution of holding has continued.
‘Global Agricultural Census’ (WCA) Program –
- The first ‘Global Agricultural Census’ was conducted by the International Agricultural Institute in the year 1930. Starting in the year 1950, FAO has been preparing and conducting the ‘Global Agricultural Census’ every 10 years.
- The concept of agricultural operational holdings adopted in India is somewhat different from the concept laid down by the FAO. It does not include holdings that are not being cultivated, such as agricultural land mainly used for livestock, poultry, fisheries, etc.
Source – The Hindu
