The 11th Agricultural Census (2021-22) was launched in the country on July 28 by the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar.
Salient features
- This is the first time that data collection for agricultural census will be conducted on smart phones and tablets, so that data is available in time.
- Most of the States have digitized their land records and surveys, which will further accelerate the collection of agricultural census data.
- The use of digitized land records and the use of mobile apps for data collection will enable the creation of a database of operational holdings in the country.
Last census and limitations
- As per the last Census, the number of farmers was estimated at 14.65 crore based on operational land holdings.
- In several States, the number of farmers estimated was found to be far below the actual number, which came to light after launch of PM Kisan scheme that is based on Aadhaar linked verification of land owning farmers.
- For instance, the Census has put the operational holdings at 10.93 lakh whereas PM Kisan data show there was 23.76 lakh, which excluded ineligible farmers.
- The government has maintained that the basis of data collection will continue to be on operational holdings and not on ownership holding. Operational holding defined as “all land which is used wholly or partly for agricultural production and is operated as one technical unit by one person alone or with others without regard to title, legal form, size or location” is taken as statistical unit for data collection in Agriculture Census.
Significance of Agricultural census
- The agricultural census is the main source of information on a variety of parameters, such as the number and area, operational holdings, their size, classwise distribution, land use, tenancy and cropping pattern.
History of Agriculture census
- Agriculture Census, started in 1970-71, is conducted once in five years.
- The last one was done in 2015-16. Data collection could not be started in time for the 11th round following outbreak of Covid19 pandemic.
- The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare conducts Agriculture Censuses in India in collaboration with States/UTs following standard concepts, definitions and methodology.
World Census of Agriculture (WCA)
- Realizing the importance of statistics on agriculture, the International Institute of Agriculture conducted the first Programme for the World Census of Agriculture (WCA) in 1930.
- Beginning with 1950, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has been preparing and advocating decennial World Programme for the Census of Agriculture (WCA).
- Under the leadership of FAO, country participation in the WCA programme has been increased over time. The present round of the Census programme (WCA 2020) covers agricultural censuses to be carried out by countries between 2016 to 2025.
