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CENTRAL STATISTICAL AGENCY

Ethiopian Annual Agricultural Sample

Survey
Methodology and Experience

By Habekiristos Beyene
Agriculture, Natural Resource and
Environmental Statistics Directorate
Addis Ababa, August, 2012

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Contents
Introduction
Initiation of Annual Agricultural Sample Surveys
Modules of the Annual Agricultural Sample Survey
Contents of the Survey
Area and Sector Coverage
Sample Design and Sample Size
6.1 Sample Selection

7.
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10.
11.

Field Organization

Training Of Field Staff

Method Of Data Collection
Dissemination of the Survey Results
List of statistical Bulletins Generated from the
Annual Agri. Sample Survey
12. Implementation of Global Strategy in Ethiopia

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1. Introduction

Ethiopia is a country with agrarian economy, where

Agriculture is the dominant sector of the countrys
Economy, as a matter of this fact,
The sector contributes (Nearly 45%) to the
countrys GDP
It employs 82% of the countrys total population,
who solely depends on agriculture for their
livelihood
It is the main source Of the domestic food supply
and Raw materials for domestic Agro-Industries

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Why do we need continues, comprehensive, reliable and
timely supply of quantitative information?
Because statistical information with regard to agriculture
are indispensable input
To evaluate and monitor the performance of the sector itself
To formulate promotional agricultural policy and programs
To design, plan and execute developmental agricultural
projects,

To monitor and evaluate the ongoing agricultural projects

and programs and etc

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2. Initiation of Annual Agricultural

Sample Surveys (AGSS)

Three decades earlier, statistical information

regarding the agricultural sector were rarely
available in Ethiopia,
Due to limitation of both coverage and methodology
used the information generated during those days
were inadequate and unreliable.

In addressing the problems mentioned, in 1980

Integrated System of Food and Agricultural
Statistics (ISFAS) the UNDP/FAO project, was
initiated in Ethiopia.

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Thus, from 1980 on wards Ethiopia/CSA has been
conducting the agricultural sample survey on annual
bases.

Here it should be noted that in addition to

conducting the annual agricultural sample surveys,
the country had performed the first ever agricultural
sample enumeration in 2001/02
Since then every three and/or four years the CSA
used to improve the content, coverage and
methodologies of the annual agricultural sample
surveys.

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3. Modules of the Annual Agricultural

Sample Survey (AGSS)
1. Main (Meher) season Pre-harvest Crop
Production Forecast Sample Survey
2. Main (Meher) season Post-harvest
agricultural Sample survey
3. Livestock and poultry Sample Survey
4. Belg(Minor) Season Crop production
Sample Survey
5. Large and Medium Scale Commercial
Farms Sample Survey

4. Contents of the

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Survey

The range of data items includes

Area and production of

and permanent crops,

both temporary

Land use i.e. total cropland area, fallow

land, grazing land, forest land and etc,.
Agricultural practices,
various inputs

such

as

use

Number of livestock and poultry by type,

purpose, age and sex

It should be noted that all the above

mentioned data items are first identified in
consultation with all data users and concerned
stakeholders

5. Area and Sector Coverage

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The Annual Agricultural Sample Survey covered

The entire rural parts of the country except

the

non-sedentary

population

of

Pastoral

areas

Both private peasant and large and medium

scale commercial farms agricultural holdings
including Co-operatives

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6. Sample Design and Sample Size

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stratified

two-stage

cluster sample design was

implemented, where,
Enumeration areas (EAs) were taken to be the primary
sampling units (PSUs) and the secondary sampling
units (SSUs) were agricultural households.
The sample size is determined by taking into account
of both the required level of precision for the most
important

estimates

within

each

domain

and

the

amount of resources allocated to the survey.

All the regions of the country which are eleven in
number were taken to be the domain of estimation for
which major findings of the survey are reported.

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6.1 Sample Selection

First Stage sample selection of EAs was done by

probability proportional to size (PPS).
Size is the total number of households compiled
from the 2007 (1999 E.C.) population and housing
census.
Second Stage sample (household) selection was
done by systematic random sampling.
Currently 30 agricultural Households were sampled
from each EA selected to be covered by the survey

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7. Field Organization

Through its 25 Branch offices the CSA has put in place a

comprehensive field organization to follow up and monitor the survey
field work.

Currently, one supervisor is assigned to closely supervise and

follow up the work of 3 - 4 enumerators
Annually,

field

enumerators,

are

recruited,

trained

and

assigned in the sampled EAs by each of the respective

Branch Offices.
All the technical personnel, heads of the 25 Branch Offices as
well as field supervisors and enumerators were fully involved.

8. Training Of Field Staff

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The quality of data acquired from the survey highly

depend on the type of training given,

The CSA provides theoretical and practical training at

various stages to its field staff

The

content

of

the

classroom instruction
concepts

and

training

focuses

on

detailed

on the purpose, terminology,

definitions

used

in

undertaking followed by field practices.

the

survey

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9. Method Of Data Collection

The

CSA

adopted

both

subjective

and

objective method of data collection in its

annual agricultural sample surveys.
a) Agricultural data collected using objective
method are:

Land area under Crop,

Crop Yield through conducting Crop

cutting experiment from 2 mts x 2 mts
plot of land,

Land Utilization (Area under different

land use).

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b) Data collected through interview method

are:Demographic

characterstics

of

the

sampled agricultural households

Data on agricultural inputs such as use

fertilizers, local and improved seeds, use of
pesticides, herbicides, and use of irrigation,

Quantity and Cost of agricultural inputs

Livestock,

poultry

and

beehives

enumeration and their products by type.

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10. Dissemination of the Survey Results

The results of the Annual Agricultural Sample

Survey are disseminated to ultimate users
through
1.

Hard copy:- The CSA distribute the Hard copies to the

concerned stakeholders, made few copies available at
the library for free use and put enough copies at CSA
store for sale.

2.

CD:-Softcopy of the survey results are also made

available on CDs to ultimate users

3.

Web Site:- Softcopy of the survey results are also

released for free use through the CSA web site.

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Sr
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N
o

11. List of statistical Bulletins Generated

from the Annual Agri. Sample Survey
Name of The Bulletin

Report on Area and Crop Production Forecast Forecast

Frequenc
y
Every Year

Report on Post- harvest Estimates of Area and Production of Major

Crops (Main Season)
Report on Post- harvest FarmManagewment ppractices of Private
holdings (Main Season)
Report on Post- harvest Estimates of Area and Production of Belg
Season Crops (Belg Season)

>>

>>

>>

>>

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Report on Post- harvest Belg Season Farm Management practices

of Private holdings (Belg Season)

>>

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Report on Land use for private Holdings

>>

>>

Report on Area and production of Crops and Farm

Management Practices For Large and Medium Scale Farms
(Both Seasons)
Report on Livestock and Livstock Characterstics
Private holdings
Report on Crop and Livestock Products Utilization for

>>

>>

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12. Implementation of Global Strategy in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is expected to participate and contribute

a lot in various

researches that will be carried

out with others in the area of :

Methodological guide lines

Producing handbooks through,

Documentation of good practices in

priority research topics

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