1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Framework

Indicators are statistical constructs which support decision-making by revealing trends in data and subsequently, they can be used to analyse the results of policy actions. In addition, indicators provide an early warning of potential economic, social or environmental damage.

At international level, a systematic effort to bring together the work of various organisations on environmental indicators was made by the Commission of Sustainable Development (CSD). This report brings together data on land, agri-chemicals (fertilizer and pesticides), population, labour force, agricultural machinery, macro-economic aggregates (GDP and investment in agriculture) and development assistance provided for agricultural development in the form of indicators. Some of the indicators included in this compendium have also been recommended by the CSD. However, as the objective of the compendium is to reveal the state of agricultural land, instead of a more comprehensive analysis of the environment in general, it also includes some additional indicators not included in the CSD list. Furthermore, while CSD adopts the "Driving Force - State - Response (DSR)" approach, here the indicators have been grouped according to the "Pressure - State - Response (PSR)" framework in order to study the state of agricultural land. Data included in the Compendium covers 168 countries for selected points in time, viz. average of 1989-1991, average of 1994-1996 and individual years 1998, 1999 and 2000. The data has been used to derive the following indicators:

1. AGRICULTURAL AREA

1.1 Agricultural Area/ Total Area
1.2 Arable Land and Permanent Crops/Agricultural Area
1.3 Arable Land /Agricultural Area
1.4 Permanent Crops/Agricultural Area
1.5 Permanent Pastures/Agricultural Area
1.6 Agricultural Labour Force/Agricultural Area

2. IRRIGATED LAND

2.1 Irrigated land/Agricultural Area
2.2 Irrigated land/Arable land and Permanent Crops

3. TRACTORS

3.1 Tractors/Arable land

4. PESTICIDES

4.1 Pesticide consumption/Arable land
4.2 Pesticide consumption/Agricultural Area

5. FERTILIZER

5.1 Fertilizer consumption/Arable land
5.2 Fertilizer consumption/Agricultural Area

6. POPULATION

6.1 Agricultural Population/Total Population
6.2 Agricultural Labour Force/Total Labour Force

7. GDP INDICATORS

7.1 Agricultural GDP /Total GDP
7.2 Agricultural GDP/ Total Labour Force

8. LIVE ANIMALS – LIVESTOCK

8.1 Number of Live Animals/Agricultural Area
8.2 Number of Live Animals/Permanent Pastures

9. VALUE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN INTERNATIONAL DOLLARS

9.1 Value of Agricultural Production (Int. $)/Agricultural Area

10. AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT

10.1 Agricultural Investment (constant price 1995)/ Agricultural Area

11. EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE TO AGRICULTURE

11.1 EAA/Agricultural Area

12. PRESSURE FOR FOOD PRODUCTION

    12.1 Export Value - Import Value at base year prices for Total Agricultural Production