World Programme for the Census of Agriculture (WCA)
FAO, through the World Programme for the Census of Agriculture, provides technical assistance to countries to build their capacity to design, conduct and analyze agricultural censuses and associated surveys, in line with the World Census of Agriculture guidelines.
Capacity development activities aim at strengthening the knowledge and technical skills of national staff in charge of planning and conducting agricultural censuses and, therefore, supporting the data production, dissemination and use of internationally comparable figures on variables defining the structure of agriculture, such as number and area of farms by size, number of livestock by type and age/sex classification, land tenure and land use, crops grown and agricultural inputs.
Through regional and national-level capacity development activities, FAO facilitates the dissemination of the latest census guidelines, standards and best practices among member countries.
Capacity development activities include:
- Preparation and worldwide dissemination of methodological guidelines on the census of agriculture (WCA) in six languages. See the latest guidelines.
- Technical assistance to countries to plan, prepare and implement agricultural censuses, in line with the latest WCA guidelines. Capacity development in the form of regional technical meetings to disseminate the best census practices, promote the use of international standards and facilitate the exchange of countries’ methodological experiences. See latest events.
- Monitor, document and disseminate national agricultural censuses, including census reports and materials. See country census material.
