The National Statistical Office (NSO) launches the 2023 Agricultural Census to conduct the agricultural census collecting agricultural infrastructure data from agricultural holders (households/agricultural establishments) within and outside the farmer registration system. All areas of Thailand are explored to create statistical data and the information are disseminated which are useful for planning to develop the country's agricultural sector.
Adjunct Professor Wisit Wisitsora-At, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Digital Economy and Society said "We have created guidelines and policies for developing agriculture both nationally and locally. The information gathered in the agricultural census consist of the number of agricultural holders, area of holdings, the land use for agriculture, the agricultural activities, and other agricultural factors to have statistical data showing the results at the sub-area level (village/community). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)'s recommendation, it is stated that member nations should conduct the agricultural censuses to make adequate use of them for planning, monitoring, and evaluating the country's agricultural development and the population's quality of life in agricultural sector. The data, furthermore, can be compared to member nations. As for Thailand, the NSO has conducted the agricultural census 6 times and 2013 is the latest. In order to comply with the FAO's recommendation that every nation should, at least, conduct the agricultural census every 10 year. The NSO has, therefore, conducted the agricultural census again in 2023."
Dr. Piyanuch Wuttisorn, Director General of the National Statistical Office, provided additional information that "For this agricultural census, the National Statistical Office has upgraded the census method to be more up-to-date and standardized for data collection by using the information of the central farmer registration database or Farmer One to build a database of the agricultural holders. Besides, conducting the agricultural census and developing the census with fully comprehensive registration data create sufficient information for following up and establishing guidelines to promote and improve the country's agriculture and the farmers' quality of life. Numerous organizations are also able to use the accurate and reliable census data to enhance the country's statistical methods in agriculture through the organizations' integration and shared data."
The use of digital technology for implementing the agricultural census project makes the information accurate and complete, and its quality meets the international standards. This can be used as a reference for international comparison. As for collecting data to conduct the Agricultural Census in 2023, the National Statistical Office will gather data from all registered and unregistered farmers for planning and developing the country's agriculture. The data collection of the agricultural census covers the following areas:
- Cultivating crops, such as rice, rubber trees, perennial plants, fruit trees, forest plantations, and all kinds of ornamental plants
- Rearing livestock, such as cattle, buffaloes, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, silkworms, and other animals which is not contrary to the Cruelty Prevention and Welfare of Animals Act, B.E. 2557 (2014)
- Freshwater culture (including hatching/nursing in freshwater zones), such as fish, shrimp, and other aquatic animals
- Sea salt farming
The data collection for this agricultural census project is conducted during May - June 2023. The data collectors comprise the village agriculture volunteers, other types of agricultural volunteers under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, and individuals who have appropriate knowledge and abilities to perform such tasks. The agricultural census is a statistical operation related to data collection, data evaluation, and result presentation for creating up-to-date agricultural statistics. The public and private sectors can use the information for all sectors. It is, additionally, a database of agricultural land holders, both inside and outside the agricultural registration system, where the information can be exchanged among organizations for their mutual benefit. It, moreover, generates agricultural information at the sub-area level and the national level to be used in administration and policy formulation for farmers and people in the agricultural sector.
In addition, the agricultural census provides information for analyzing structural change in agriculture, as well as developing the agricultural sector and the country's population in the agricultural sector. The agricultural census data, furthermore, can be used as a sampling frame for agricultural surveys and as a channel for reflecting problems that contains information on farmers' needs or complaints.