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3. Proposed questionnaire items


3. Proposed questionnaire items

This section includes the specific proposals for questionnaire items on the population related with agriculture.

Since it is not the main purpose of an agricultural production census or sample survey to study in detail the structure of the population in agriculture, the questionnaire items should be limited in this respect.

As a general rule, data on the population related with agriculture should be collected through the agricultural census/sample survey only if such data cannot be obtained through the population census, through a periodic population sample survey or through a special agricultural sample survey.

In other words, the selection of the agricultural census/survey questionnaire items on the population related with agriculture should always consider and be a function of the following factors:

As already mentioned, it is important that countries coordinate adequately their agricultural census and survey programmes with the population and housing census and survey programmes, generally organized by different Government institutions.

The agricultural census/survey programme questionnaire items concerning the population related with agriculture considered hereunder are based on an updating of those included in cf. (1).

Time reference

A time reference is provided for each questionnaire item. The time reference is either "the day of enumeration" (for inventory items) or "the agricultural year" (continuing activities). The term "day of enumeration" should be interpreted as the date of the actual interview with the respondent.

The questionnaire items proposed constitute the minimum requirements for a national agricultural production census or sample survey,

3.1 Questionnaire items for all agricultural holdings

Proposed questionnaire items for:

HOLDER

Name

Address, if different from holding

Legal status of holder

RESPONDENT FOR HOLDING

Whether respondent is holder Name, if not holder

HIRED MANAGER

Whether there is a hired manager

Name

Address, if different from holding

Whether the hired manager has a fixed wage or shares economic and financial responsibility of holding

The time reference for the above questionnaire items is the day of enumeration.

3.2 Questionnaire items for agricultural holdings operated by private individual(s) or household(s)

This section includes the proposed additional items on population only for agricultural holdings operated by:

In other words, those holdings corresponding to holders that have one of the three first categories of legal status mentioned in section 2.8.

Proposed questionnaire items for:

HOLDER'S HOUSEHOLD

Number of household members

Number of agricultural workers on holding * * during the agricultural year (paid in cash or kind or unpaid; skilled or not):

HOLDER

Age

Sex

Relation with the head of household

Marital status

Education

Whether has more than one occupation

Main occupation (skilled or not)

Secondary occupation (skilled or not)

HOLDER'S HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS WORKING IN THE HOLDING DURING THE AGRICULTURAL YEAR. EXCEPT HOLDER

Name

Age

Sex

Relation with the head of household

Marital status

Education

Whether has more than one occupation

Main occupation (skilled or not)

Secondary occupation (skilled or not)

Whether permanent agricultural worker in holding

Whether occasional agricultural worker in holding

Whether paid in cash or kind or unpaid

AGRICULTURAL WORKERS ON THE HOLDING DURING THE AGRICULTURAL YEAR OTHER THAN MEMBERS OF THE HOLDER'S HOUSEHOLD

Whether permanent agricultural workers employed during year

Whether occasional agricultural workers employed during year

Number of permanent agricultural workers

Maximum number of occasional agricultural workers by month

(*) Minimum age limit adopted in the country to define the economically active population.

(**) As already mentioned, in order to determine whether a household member should be considered to have "worked on the holding" or not, a minimum requirement for the amount of time worked on the holding during the agricultural year should be established.

Time reference for questionnaire items referring to the number of permanent agricultural workers is the day of enumeration. Time reference for all other questionnaire items related with agricultural workers or employment is the agricultural year.

Time reference and seasonal work. A longer term reference period rather than a one-week period is necessary as work on a holding is seasonal and frequently changes. There are periods when the work is intensive and others when it is almost nonexistent. It often depends on weather conditions; farmers may wait for rain or other favourable conditions. A short reference period may, in particular, exclude many women from the economically active population, especially where their work is more seasonal than men's.

Joint holders. Where holdings are operated by two or more individuals of different households or by two or more households, data on the total number of household members and age and sex of household members should be recorded separately for each of the joint holders. For tabulations by age and sex of the holder, one of the joint holders need to be identified as the senior holder. Duplication should be avoided when collecting data from joint holders, as some may also operate another holding separately or jointly with others.

Items concerning holder's household members identify members who are economically active and qualitatively indicate their contribution to the holding work.

Items on holder's occupation(s) identify holders having other occupation(s) in addition to being a holder.

Data on employment of agricultural workers, other than the holder's household members, provide a criterion for classifying holdings by hired agricultural workers. A limited number of items on employment are also proposed. Census/survey emphasis is on the source of labour inputs rather than volume of employment.

Whether worked on the holding. The critical issue here is how to formulate the question in such a way that women be recorded as workers. The question (or sequence of questions) should be designed in such a way to discourage any tendency to record women as housewives, ignoring their economic activities. Rather than simply asking "did you work on the holding in the past season/year?", the interviewer could give a list of specific activities, tailored to local circumstances.

Forms of payment and wages: In many countries there are wage differentials between women and men. The problem is especially relevant in agriculture, where many women work as unpaid family workers. Information on forms of payment wages or payment in kind - could help shed light on this aspect of women's work.

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