www.abare-brs.gov.au Statistical integration in designing Australian farm surveys Milly Lubulwa Manager, Farm Analysis Section ABARE-BRS
www.abare-brs.gov.au
Statistical integration in designing Australian farm surveys
Milly Lubulwa
Manager, Farm Analysis Section
ABARE-BRS
Acknowledgements
Co-authors: Peter Martin, Walter Shafron and Bruce
Bowen [ABARE-BRS]
Comments and contributions: Members of the Farm
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Comments and contributions: Members of the Farm
Analysis and Survey Collection and Administration
Sections [ABARE-BRS]
Adrian Bugg [ Australian Bureau of Statistics], Samia
Zakaria [Ethiopia Central Statistical Agency] and
Gero Carletto [World Bank]
ABARE-BRSAustralian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource
Economics – Bureau of Rural Sciences (ABARE–BRS)
• research bureau within the Australian Department
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• economic research, scientific analysis and advice
www.abare-brs.gov.au
• economic research, scientific analysis and advice
on current and future policy challenges affecting
Australian primary industries
Agricultural zones in Australia
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Overview of Australian agriculture• Value of Agricultural production $41 billion in 2009-10
• Agricultural exports of $29 billion (AUD) in 2009-10 -
more than 60 per cent of agricultural production in
most years
• Major source of employment in regional Australia –
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• Major source of employment in regional Australia –
both on farm and in food manufacturing
• Major resource user - 65 per cent of total land area
used by agriculture and 70 per cent of total water use
Focus of the presentation
• Brief overview of Australian agriculture
• Two main surveys conducted annually by
ABARE-BRS [Broadacre and dairy industries
surveys]
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surveys]
• Key elements which have made the farm surveys
successful
• Regionally based field collectors
Why conduct farm surveys?
Because of
• importance of agriculture to both the economy and rural
employment
• the volatility of farm incomes at the industry and regional
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• the volatility of farm incomes at the industry and regional
level from year to year.
Data from farm surveys provide a factual basis for the
discussion and analysis of rural industry issues
The volatility of farm incomes
The volatility of farm incomes is mainly due to:
• The influence of weather and climate;
• Price of commodities; and
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• Price of commodities; and
• Farm management practices.
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Gulf country floodsGulf country floodsGulf country floodsGulf country floods
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Farm cash income – broadacre farms
100
125
150
2009-10 $'000
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0
25
50
75
1977-78 1981-82 1985-86 1989-90 1993-94 1997-98 2001-02 2005-06 2009-10p
Farm cash income
100
125
150
2009-10 $'000
Dairy industry
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0
25
50
75
1977-78 1981-82 1985-86 1989-90 1993-94 1997-98 2001-02 2005-06 2009-10p
Farm cash income
150
200
250
grains
Average per farm
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50
100
1999-00 2001-02 2003-04 2005-06 2007-08 2009-10p
2009-10
$‘000
beef
sheep
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The success of ABARE-BRS farm surveys
The success of the farm surveys conducted by
ABARE-BRS has depended on a number of
critical elements including:
• use of high quality population lists for its sample
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• use of high quality population lists for its sample
design,
• access to reliable financial information for farm
businesses,
• use of computer assisted collection and capture
methods,
The success of ABARE-BRS farm surveys
• data collection primarily based on face to face
interviews,
• the voluntary cooperation of respondents,
• integration of pre-existing data in sample
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• integration of pre-existing data in sample
weighting procedures ;
• the use of skilled field officers and analysts and
• use of the Statistical Clearing House.
Regionally based field collectorsRegionally based field officers are required to;
• have a proven knowledge and understanding of
Australian agriculture
• have a general understanding of simple agricultural
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• have a general understanding of simple agricultural
financial principles
• have good organisation skills and importantly good
work ethics
ConclusionElements which other countries can draw on include:
• Use of regionally based field collectors
• Use of an equivalent of a statistical clearing house to
quality control surveys conducted by different agencies
• Using the national collections in the design of farm
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• Using the national collections in the design of farm
surveys and lastly
• Good record keeping by farmers.
Thank you
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Science and economics for decision-makers