National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022
Nepal, 2022
Identification
NPL_2021_2022_NSCA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS
National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022
राष्ट्रिय कृषिगणना २०७८
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Nepal | NPL |
Agricultural Census [ag/census]
The first National Sample Census of Agriculture was conducted in Nepal in 1961/1962, followed by the decennial censuses held in 1971/1972, 1981/1982, 1991/1992, 2001/2002, and 2011/2012. The National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022 was the seventh conducted in the country.
Timely and reliable data on agriculture is a prerequisite for evidence-based policymaking and planning in the agriculture sector, for research and development, and for monitoring the impact of agricultural activities on the environmental and economic sustainability of farming. The National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022 provides detailed information on the structure of agriculture of the country down to the local levels.
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Agricultural holdings
Scope
The scope of the census mainly covers agricultural activities (crops and livestock production).
A community survey was conducted along with the census. Supervisors collected municipality-level data on community infrastructure and facilities.
Coverage
The National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022 covered the entire country. Nepal is divided into seven provinces, 77 districts, and 753 municipalities for administrative purposes.
The statistical unit was the agricultural holding, defined as an economic unit of agricultural production under single management comprising all livestock and poultry kept, and all land used wholly or partially for agricultural production purposes. The holding's land may consist of one or more parcels located in one or more separate areas within a district. The census collected agricultural information only for the household sector. A household with livestock but no land was not considered a holding if the household did not use the livestock for agricultural purposes (e.g. a livestock trader).
The census 2021/2022 considered the following threshold for agricultural holdings:
- Area under crops greater than or equal to a quarter of a ropani (or four anna), equal to 0.01272 ha, in the hill or mountain district, or greater than or equal to eight dhur, equal to 0.01355 ha, in the Terai (lowlands)
- 1 or more head of cattle or buffaloes
- 5 or more head of sheep or goats
- 20 or more poultry.
Agricultural holdings were considered large-scale and defined as institutional holdings if they met the following thresholds:
- 35 milking cows
- 25 milking buffalos
- 150 goats
- 150 sheep
- 60 pigs for meat
- 20 000 boilers
- 10 000 layers
These large-scale livestock activities operated by households were compiled and analyzed together with agricultural activities undertaken by government organizations, cooperatives, and business farms, which were all classified as institutional holdings, rather than with small-scale holdings.
Producers and sponsors
| Name |
|---|
| National Statistics Office of Nepal (केन्द्रीय तथ्याङ्क विभाग), Economic Statistics Division |
Sampling
Two types of sampling frames were used for the National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022: the frame of primary sampling units (PSUs), that is the enumeration areas (EAs), and the frame of secondary sampling units (SSUs), that is the agricultural holdings.
The sampling frame for EAs was prepared from the EA list of the National Population and Housing Census 2021. Following recommendations of the FAO World Programme for the Census of Agriculture (WCA), an agricultural module was included in the National Population and Housing Census 2021 to collect basic agriculture-related information from all households in the country (including the total operational holding area, and number of livestock and poultry); to screen the agricultural census' target population; and improve the sampling design. The sampling frame for PSUs contained the number of households and agricultural households for each EA.
The frame for SSUs was developed through listing operations in the sampled EAs. All households in each sampled EA were interviewed to develop an updated list of agricultural households as the SSU sampling frame in the selected EA.
The National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022 adopted a stratified two-stage sampling design. Within each stratum (municipality), EAs were selected with a probability proportional to size systematic sampling, with the number of holdings as the size variable.
In the second stage, systematic sampling was employed to select households from each of four strata: three intervals defined by total area and a stratum consisting exclusively of livestock holdings. The sample size was determined to ensure reliable estimates at the municipality level. From among 13 576 EAs, a sample of 330 112 holdings were selected, approximately eight percent of all holdings.
Survey instrument
Two listing forms and two questionnaires were used in the National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022:
- Holding listing form (Form 1), to list all the agricultural holdings (above the thresholds) in the selected enumeration area
- Selected holding listing form (Form 1A)
- Agricultural holdings questionnaire (Form 2)
- Community questionnaire (Form 3)
Form 2 covered 20 out of 23 essential items recommended in the WCA 2020.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2022-04-19 | 2022-06-02 |
Reference day:
- Day of the interview, for land area and livestock
Reference periods:
- From 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021 (calendar year 2021), for all other variables
- Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]
- Pen and Paper Interview [papi]
Along with the census core team in headquarters, the census 2021/2022 involved about 7202 field staff including 5150 enumerators, 1350 supervisors, 77 census officers and 625 supporting administration and management staff in the field offices. For the data processing stage, it involved 50 coders and editors, 100 data entry operators and 3 IT staff.
The National Sample Census of Agriculture 2021/2022 used PAPI and CAPI (with tablets), data collection methods. CAPI was used only in three districts, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktpur of Kathmandu valley, while PAPI was used in the remaining 74 districts.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
A pilot agriculture census was conducted during 2020 to test and refine data collection methods; to ensure a smooth and logical flow of questions and an adequate resource allocation; to provide an estimate of the average time required to complete a questionnaire; and to plan logistical arrangements. The National Statistics Office was highly focused on ensuring the accuracy of census data by implementing various measures to minimize non-sampling errors.
To reduce sampling errors, an appropriate sampling design was prepared by modifying the designs used in previous agriculture sample censuses. Quality control mechanisms for data included training, supervision, completeness checks, verification of data entry, and consistency checks. Central level officials, along with district census officials, assistant officials, and supervisors, were assigned to supervise and manage the fieldwork using monitoring and supervision forms. The progress of the fieldwork was reported periodically to both the district census office and the National Statistics Office. Sampling errors of major indicators were estimated and presented in a technical report.
Data processing
Direct data capture was ensured by the CAPI method, for which coding and editing of the questionnaires were carried out by 50 temporarily recruited coders and editors from November 2022 to January 2023. For the PAPI method, manual data entry was carried out by 100 staff from December 2022 to February 2023 using an application developed in CSPro that included a comprehensive built-in system with range and consistency checks. For data management, SPSS and STATA software were used. This involved editing, cleaning, and tabulation of data. Uncertain information found during the data cleaning process was verified by re-contacting the agriculture holdings through phone calls or field visits. After data quality was ensured, SPSS was mainly used for data tabulation, analysis, and summary of results.
Data Access
For data access and use information please contact the National Statistics Office of Nepal.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nsonepal.gov.np
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Statistics Division | National Statistics Office of Nepal (केन्द्रीय तथ्याङ्क विभाग) | [email protected] | www.nsonepal.gov.np |
Metadata production
DDI_NPL_2021_2022_NSCA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS_FAO
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Statistics Division | National Statistics Office of Nepal (केन्द्रीय तथ्याङ्क विभाग) | Metadata producer | |
| Statistics Division | ESS | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Metadata adapted for FAM |