The federal government announced on Thursday its plan to conduct the 7th Agricultural Census of Pakistan in June 2024. Following the successful completion of the 7th Population & Housing Census, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) is gearing up to conduct the Agricultural Census nationwide. The PBS aims to integrate the Agricultural, Livestock, and Agricultural Machinery Censuses into one, aligning with international practices and FAO guidelines.
To kickstart the process, PBS has initiated meetings with partner organizations and provincial stakeholders. These consultations aim to gather diverse perspectives, identify needs, and address potential challenges during the census’s field operation. The first provincial meeting was held on February 1, 2024, at the Provincial Census Coordination Center (P3C) in Sindh, chaired by Dr. Naeem-uz-Zafar, Chief Census Commissioner, Pakistan.
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The meeting included representatives from various government bodies and PBS officials. Muhammad Sarwar Gondal delivered a comprehensive presentation outlining the framework of the census, emphasizing the agriculture sector’s significant contribution to the GDP and the need for updated data to optimize production. PBS plans to conduct the census in close collaboration with provincial and district administrations, utilizing resources from the last Population Census.
Two-tier training programs for supervisors and enumerators have been scheduled, with training plans and resource allocations already devised and shared. Leveraging the infrastructure and tablets from the last Population Census, PBS aims to optimize resource utilization and ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in data collection and dissemination. Partner organizations have commended PBS for initiating the Agricultural Census after thirteen years and have pledged their full support, recognizing its potential far-reaching impacts on the national economy.