Census of Commercial Agriculture 2017
South Africa, 2018 - 2019
Identification
ZAF_2017_CCA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS
Census of Commercial Agriculture 2017
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| South Africa | ZAF |
Agricultural Census [ag/census]
South Africa conducted the first Agricultural Survey covering both Large Scale, Small Scale, and Emerging Farms sectors in 2000. Previous agricultural surveys were undertaken by the Central Statistical Service in 1994, 1995 and 1996 but they covered the commercial farms sector only. South Africa conducted Censuses of Commercial Agriculture in 2002 and 2007, and the latest in 2017. Previous agricultural censuses were carried out in 1930, 1950, 1960 and 1970/1971.
The objective of the Census of Commercial Agriculture 2017 was to collect detailed and high-quality data on the structure of agriculture, as well as on financial, production, employment and related information of the commercial agriculture industry in South Africa.
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Agricultural holdings
Scope
The census scope covered agricultural activities (crops and crop production, and livestock), forestry, fisheries, and aquaculture.
The questionnaire collected information on:
- General information
- Land use by composition and area of the farm/forest
- Field and horticultural crops
- Animals (livestock, game, poultry, bee-hives) sold and income earned
- Forest produce
- Ocean (marine) fishing
- Aquaculture
- Sale of livestock, poultry and game products and processed produce
- Rooms and beds available
- Employment
- a. Sales of goods and services rendered
- b. Other income items
- a. Details of purchases
- b. Current expenditure
- Carrying value (book value) of property, plant and equipment
- Fair value of biological assets
- Debt
- Information and communication technology (ICT) usage
- Particulars of the principal farm/forest operator/manager or fisheries
Coverage
The entire country was covered in the Census of Commercial Agriculture 2017.
The census covered enterprises registered for value added tax (VAT) and which were mainly engaged in the following activities:
- Growing of crops, market gardening and horticulture
- Livestock farming
- Combination of 1 and 2 (known as mixed farming)
- Agricultural and animal husbandry services, except veterinary activities
- Game propagation and related services
The statistical unit was a farming unit registered for VAT, where a farming unit consists of one or more farms, holdings, or pieces of land, whether adjacent or not, operated as a single unit and situated within the same local municipality.
Farming units growing crops or raising livestock for own consumption and/or not registered for VAT were excluded from the Census of Commercial Agriculture 2017.
Producers and sponsors
| Name |
|---|
| Statistics South Africa |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | preparation of the farmers’ register |
Sampling
The frame was drawn from Stats South Africa's business register. The business register is mainly based on the VAT database of the South African Revenue Service. Every farm was first contacted by phone, and its economic activities were verified. Once it was verified that the owners were farmers, arrangements were made to send the questionnaire or identify their preferred method to complete it.
The Census of Commercial Agriculture 2017 was conducted as a complete enumeration of farming units.
Survey instrument
A single questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire covered 17 of the 23 essential items recommended for the WCA 2020.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-15 | 2019-04-01 |
Reference day:
- Day of the interview for inventory items such as legal status and management system of the holding
- 28 February 2018, for data of enterprises' debts
- 30 June 2018, for items on land use and the number of employees
- 30 September 2018, for inventory items such as the livestock count
Reference period:
- Financial year (ending on any date between 1 March 2017 and 28 February 2018), for items such as area planted, irrigated area, production, livestock culling, income and expenditure related to farming activity and employment.
- Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]
- Mail questionnaire [mail]
The Census of Commercial Agriculture 2017 involved 60 census office staff, 480 enumerators, 79 supervisors and 75 publicity officers.
Initially, enterprises were contacted by phone to update their information on the frame such as specific agriculture activity and location. Enterprises were given an option of either self-enumeration or a visit by a Stats SA official. In the latter case, fieldworkers visited farms to conduct interviews using Computer-assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) on tablets. Self-enumeration was conducted through e-mail, post, drop-off and send back by mail or pick-up by enumerators.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
In the census, the supervisors also performed the role of quality assurers. The quality check was embedded in the CAPI system and reports were generated for supervisors and their managers to monitor quality. The Questionnaire Completeness Rules (QCR) were SAS programs used to verify the quality of supervisor checks, reject questionnaires with inconsistencies or missing values for key variables, and ensure completeness of key variables.
Every effort was made to minimize non-sampling errors by updating the frame, careful design of questionnaires, testing them in pilot studies, editing reported data and implementing efficient operating procedures.
Data processing
CAPI on the tablet, was used to conduct the interview and capture the data. For paper questionnaires, the application for the CAPI method was used for data entry through desktop computers. Input data editing was conducted on the CAPI environment. The CAPI data was stored in SQL and then transferred to SAS software where coding and output editing was conducted.
Data Access
For data access and use information please contact Statistics South Africa.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.statssa.gov.za
Contacts
| Name | URL | |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics South Africa | [email protected] | http://www.statssa.gov.za |
| Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries | http://www.daff.gov.za/daffweb3/ |
Metadata production
DDI_ZAF_2017_CCA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS_FAO
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistics South Africa | Metadata producer | ||
| Statistics Division | ESS | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Metadata adapted for FAM |