Census of Agriculture 2023
Serbia, 2023
Identification
SRB_2023_CA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS
Census of Agriculture 2023
Попис пољопривреде 2023
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Serbia | SRB |
Agricultural Census [ag/census]
The Census of Agriculture 2023 is the most recent census conducted in Serbia. Previously, agricultural censuses were conducted in 2012 and 2002, the latter during the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings. Previously, as part of former Yugoslavia, censuses of agriculture were undertaken in 1931, 1951, 1960, and 1969. In 1981 and 1991, the enumeration of agricultural holdings was conducted in the framework of the Population Census.
The Census of Agriculture 2023 is a large scale statistical operation that collects internationally comparable data on the stocks and structure of agricultural holdings and is vital for socioeconomic analyses and planning further development in the agricultural sector. The collected data relate to the categories of land use, irrigation, fertilizer use, soil tillage and maintenance, livestock numbers (by types and categories) and the number of beehives, livestock grazing, agricultural machinery, labour force, and other income-generating farm activities, the market orientation of agricultural production, and other farm data.
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Agricultural holdings
Scope
The census scope covered agricultural activities (crop land use and livestock production).
The questionnaire collected information on:
- General variables
- Agricultural land
- Fruit plantations and vineyards
- Livestock, bees and other animals
- Labour force and activities on holding
- Irrigation
- Use of mineral fertilisers and manure
- Animal housing
- Agricultural machinery and equipment
- Soil management practices
- Other information on the holding
Coverage
The census was not conducted in Kosovo and Metohija (References to Kosovo shall be understood in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999)).
The statistical unit was the agricultural holding, defined as a production unit where a company, farm cooperative, institution or other legal entity, unincorporated enterprise or farmer carries out agricultural production.
The following thresholds were applied for the family agricultural holdings:
- Cultivates (uses) 50 or more ares (0.5 ha) of agricultural land for agricultural production, regardless of whether such production is intended for the market
- Cultivates (uses) less than 50 ares (0.5 ha) of agricultural land but practises intensive crop farming, fruit-growing, viticulture, growing of vegetables and flowers production of mushrooms and/or livestock raising
- 2 head of cattle
- 1 head of cattle and 2 head of small animals (pig, goat, sheep)
- 5 head of sheep or goats
- 3 head of pig
- 4 head of small animals
- 50 head of poultry
- 20 bee colonies
No thresholds were applied for legal entities.
Producers and sponsors
| Name |
|---|
| Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (Републички завод за статистику) |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Serbia | Technical assistance |
| European Union | Technical assistance |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| European Union | Funding |
Sampling
The census used a list frame: the Statistical Farm Register. Prior to the census, the frame was updated based on regular statistical surveys, administrative registers, and the information provided by the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2022.
The Census of Agriculture 2023 was carried out on a combination of complete enumeration and sampling. The core module was collected using complete enumeration, while data for the supplementary thematic modules was collected using sample enumeration.
For the supplementary thematic modules, stratified simple random sampling of agriculture holdings was conducted. The target population for the samples were all active agricultural holdings from the main and extended frame. Stratification was by legal status, NUTS_2 level, indicator of belonging to the main or extended frame and size class, defined using auxiliary variable correlated with the study variable. The overall sample size was determined using the Bethel algorithm, which is based on optimal allocation of the holdings.
Survey instrument
A questionnaire was used in Serbian language using Latin letters and translated into the languages of certain ethnic minorities (Albanian, Hungarian and Slovak). It comprised a core module and six thematic modules on irrigation, use of mineral fertilisers and manure, animal housing, agricultural machinery and equipment, soil management practices and other information on holding.
The questionnaires covered 18 out of the 23 essential items recommended in the WCA 2020.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2023-06-01 | 2023-12-15 |
Reference day:
- 30 September 2023, for available land, livestock, number and capacity of owned buildings
Reference periods:
- From 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023, for land use, crops, production of livestock products, labour force, irrigated utilized agricultural area(UAA), fertilizers and manure, animal housing, machinery and equipment, soil management practices, utilized capacity of buildings
- Last three years, for average outdoor UAA irrigated area, maintenance of irrigation system, use of government support measures
- Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]
- Computer Assisted Web Interview [cawi]
The census fieldwork involved 16 regional coordinators, 300 municipal coordinators, 3000 enumerators and 157 census commissions with 2 to 3 members, 16 IT experts for providing support on the trainings and during the fieldwork, and 4 for data processing, 10 methodologists, and other administrative and logistic support staff.
Data was collected using the CAPI and the CAWI methods. Households engaged in agricultural activities were visited by enumerators which collected data through the CAPI method, while juridical persons completed the questionnaire through the CAWI method. Data on organic farming and rural development measures were obtained from administrative sources of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Within the preliminary activities, a pilot census was conducted in 2020 to test the organization, methodology, technical solution for the layout of the electronic questionnaire, the completeness of the guidelines for filling the questionnaires, time required for training and enumeration of holdings.
A post-enumeration survey (PES) was carried out from 10 to 31 January 2024 on a sample of 9000 agricultural holdings in 96 municipalities, in selected enumeration areas to measure coverage errorand response error. The survey included agricultural holdings identified from data for households registered in the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2022 within the boundaries of the selected enumeration areas.
The rate of net coverage error for agricultural holdings was 1.41 percent.
Response error was mesured for variables such as Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA), sales of own-produced agricultural products, number of livestock, etc.
Data processing
Direct data capture was ensured by the CAPI and CAWI methods in IST application. Primary data processing began while data was entered into the electronic questionnaire, using the logical control rules built into the questionnaire. After data was transfered to the database, additional logical control and automatic correction of inconsistent data were applied. The database was stored on the SQL server and imputations were used only to correct typographical errors during data entry (e.g. outliers), if detected during data validation. Sources for imputation were SFR and administrative sources. Model estimation was used for volume of water used for irrigation. Dissemination was carried out using the IST application.
Data Access
For additional information on data access and use, please contact the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia.
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website: https://www.stat.gov.rs/
Contacts
| Name | URL | |
|---|---|---|
| Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (Републички завод за статистику) | [email protected]; [email protected] | https://www.stat.gov.rs/ |
Metadata production
DDI_SRB_2023_CA_v01_M_v01_A_ESS_FAO
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (Републички завод за статистику) | Metadata producer | ||
| Statistics Division | ESS | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Metadata adapted for FAM |