One of the important elements of FAO’s statistical work is the promotion of the decennial World Programme for the Census of Agriculture. There have now been eight rounds of agricultural censuses and, since its founding in 1945, FAO has been responsible for preparing the guidelines on concepts, definitions, classifications and methodology to help countries plan and carry out their census of agriculture.

Each round of agricultural censuses covers a ten-year period. The present publication presents guidelines for the 2010 round of agricultural censuses, covering agricultural censuses to be undertaken between 2006 and 2015. For this round, a new approach is being used, with the emphasis on conducting agricultural censuses within the framework of the system of integrated agricultural censuses and surveys and in the broader context of the national statistics system.