Improving Agricultural Statistics in the COMCEC Region
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This is why it is vitally important to create an agricultural statistics system that can interact
with the rest of the national statistical system, and can ultimately be integrated into the
statistical systems of other countries. The key words of the future for agricultural statistics are
“Globally Integrated”, “Sectorally Integrated”, “Vertically Integrated (Input-Output-
Consumption)” and “Horizantally Integrated (Area-Farm-Region-Nation-World)”.
1.3 Dimensions, Scope and Coverage of Agricultural Statistics
The specific scope of agricultural statistics could vary between individual countries depending
on the size and nature of agricultural activities in the country. However, the following general
principles stated in “The Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics”10
prepared by the World Bank in collaboration with the FAO and Friends of the Chair working
groups of the United Nations Statistics Committee (UNSC), should apply to all countries:
Dimensions of Demand for Agricultural Statistics:
 Agriculture is fundamentally an economic activity. Its relationships to environmental and
social issues have been increasing and need to be integrated. Institutions and enterprises
affect all three through policies, regulations, taxes and infrastructure, such as
transportation, education, markets, and processing facilities.
 The economic dimension of agriculture consists of resources that enter into the production
process and the outputs that result from it. The output takes on many forms. Some are
consumed by the household, some are retained for seed or feed, and others enter supply
chains that extend to markets. The outcome of the production process is income for the
agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises, and to households for both agricultural and
non-agricultural. The impact of the production process affects food security, poverty and
the performance of the economy.
 The environmental dimension of agriculture consists of the sector’s role as a user of
natural resources - principally land and water - and as a provider of environmental
services. In addition to its direct use of natural resources in production, its impacts also
relate to the waste and emission by products generated for production.
 Data that relates to the social dimension of agriculture and rural development begin with
households and household members - both farm and nonfarm. It is especially important
that the combination of agricultural and non-agricultural income sources among
households, farms, and nonfarm businesses are represented. It is also important to
examine the relationships that exist between agriculture and other sectors in rural society.
Finally, social data is needed to examine households and individuals not only in their roles
as producers and consumers, but also as users of social services such as health and
education programs.
10 World Bank, 2011.