MAKAWANPUR, Sept 14: Concerned bodies have started preparations for National Agriculture Census 2078 BS. National Bureau of Statistics organized a stakeholders' meeting in the district on Thursday in this regard.
According to Badri Kumar Karki, director of Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the census will be done through selective methodology.
“We have been looking for recommendations from stakeholders regarding various issues,” said Karki. “We have been collecting recommendations through questionnaires from all the local levels. Agriculture Census was started from 2018 BS. It is done in every 10 years, and this will be the 7th Agriculture Census.
National census to begin from May 9
“We will start data collection related to land ownership of women, kinds of pesticide used in the farm, mushroom farming, floriculture, and fish and bee farming for the first time,” said Karki.
Also, the data related to agriculture insurance and grant, damage from earthquake, effects of global warming, agricultural labors, and weekly markets will be collected for the first time.
Director Karki said that the census will include the area of the land and production, utilization of land, situation of irrigation, use of quality seeds and fertilizers, number of birds and livestock.
"The census will be crucial to address the issues related to agriculture,” said Karki.
He said that the census will include the investment of the family on the farm, for which different sets of questionnaire will be given to farmers' families and local community members.
The department is preparing to collect data from the farmers who have at least four aana of land in mountainous and hilly regions and eight dhur in the terai region. Also, they will collect data from farmers who have at least one cow or buffalo, five sheep or goats. According to the department, these will be the criteria for being a farmer.
As per the department, this time the census will take place in rural municipality, municipality and province levels.