11th Agricultural Census 2021-22: Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on July 28, 2022 launched the 11th Agriculture Census 2021-22.

Key Points about Agricultural Census 2021-22:

• The fieldwork for the census will start in August 2022.
• It was launched to gather data on several parameters, including operational holdings.
• For first time the data will be collected via smartphones and tablets for the first time.
• The agriculture Census is conducted every 5 years.
• The census is being undertaken now after a delay due to COVID-19 pandemic.
• The main focus of the census is to increase the income of the farmers and empower them by organizing small farmers.
• On the occasion, Shri Tomar also released the Handbook on Operational Guidelines for Census for the use of States/UTs and launched the Data Collection Portal/App.

• The new initiatives highlighted in the presentation include the use of digital land records like land title records and survey reports, collection of data through app/software using smartphone/tablet, complete enumeration of all villages in states with non-land records during Phase-I as done in states having land records, and real-time monitoring of progress and processing.

Agriculture Census in India:

• Agricultural Census is the main source of information on a variety of agricultural parameters at a relatively minute level, such as the number and area of ​​operational holdings, their size, class-wise distribution, land use, tenancy and cropping pattern, etc.
• The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) conducts Agriculture Census in India every 5 years in collaboration with States and Union Territories (UTs) following standard concepts, definitions and methodology.
• The agriculture Census Scheme is being undertaken by Agriculture Ministry from 1970-71.
• Since then ten Agriculture Censuses have been conducted.
• The last edition of the Agriculture census was conducted in 2015-16.
• It is being conducted in India, on the basis of guidelines of decennial World Census of Agriculture (WCA) that has been formulated by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Note:

• The Agriculture Census Scheme was converted to Central Sector Scheme, from a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme, in 2007-08.
• Therefore, the central government provides 100% financial assistance to States or UTs for payment of salaries, honoraria, office expenses, and printing of schedules, etc.