What is the Best Indicator of Work Performed in Agriculture?

IACS-4Beijing

22-24 October 2007

Pál Bóday - Éva Laczka

Outline

• World’s agriculture

• Hungarian agriculture

• Needs for labour statistics

• Differences in methodologies

• A few data

• Conclusions

Agriculture

• Producer of food, provider of employment, source of foreign trade…..

• 3-4 percent in total value added

• 2 percent increase annually

– in some region prime engine of growth

• Agricultural population

– 40 percent of total population

• Economically active agricultural population

– 21 percent of total population

A few data on the Hungarian Agriculture

• 3-4 percent in the GDP

• 2-3 percent in export

• 1-2 percent in import

• 2-3 percent in investments

Types of holdings

Number of agricultural enterprises Number of private holdings

Crop farmingLivestock farmingMixed

0

200

400

600

800

1 000

1 200

2000 2003 2005

(thousands)

01 000

2 0003 0004 000

5 0006 0007 000

8 0009 000

2000 2003 2005

(number)

Main characteristics of private holdings

Number of private holdings by type of farming

0

100 000

200 000

300 000

400 000

Crop farming Livestockfarming

Mixed farming

for family consumption surplus is sold for market

Why do we need information on agricultural work?

• Basis of the measurement of structural and employment effects of the CAP

• Employment is important component of development in rural areas

• Useful tool for policy makers, researchers, holders, for national and international comparisons

Differences in methodologies

• Definition of agricultural activities

• Agricultural population

• Farm concept

• Item coverage

• Survey coverage

Agricultural labour force

• FAO: all persons economically active in agriculture

• Population census / LFS: all household member who’s main occupation is agriculture

• Farm Structure Survey: all persons having reached school leaving age and carried out work on the holding

Farm Concept

• FAO: setting the threshold to the lowest possible level is suggested

• EU FSS: Member States must fix the threshold at the level excluding only the smallest units which together contribute 1 percent or less to the total SGM

Thresholds in Hungary

Denomination1972 1981 1991 1994 2000

year of the census

Total productive land area, hectare

0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15

Orchard, vineyard, garden, hectare

0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08

Cattle, heads 1 1 1 1 1

Pigs, heads 1 1 1 1 1

Horses, heads 1 1 1 1 1

Sheep, heads 1 1 1 1 1

Poultry, heads 50 50 50 50 50

Bee hives, pcs 20 20 25 25 5

Rabbit, heads 20 20 25 25 25

Other small animals, heads – – 25 25 25

Annual Working Unit

Equivalent to full time employment

• Agricultural labour statistics: 1 AWU=1 800 hours

• Labour Force Statistics: 1 AWU=1 900 hours

• FADN: 1 AWU=2200 hours

Item coverage

• Population census: number of person and days worked in agriculture by age and sex

• LFS: employed in agriculture defined by the main activity of the employer; individual businesses or private farms; hours worked during reference week; full-time, part-time work; other gainful activity

• Institutional labour Statistics: number of full-time, part-time and other employees; average gross / net earnings

• FSS: status of the household members (holder, spouse, other member); sex; age; days worked; economic activity; training and other gainful activity. For employees in full-time/part-time breakdown; sex and days worked

Coverage of different data collectionsEnterprises Private holdings

Employees (other than agricultural) of enterprises in ISIC/NACE 01 under 5 employees

Agricultural employees of enterprises in ISIC/NACE 01 under 5 employees

Full-time, part-time employees (as main occupation) of private holdings

Farm-members producing for marketingEmployees (other

than agricultural) of enterprises in ISIC/NACE 01 over 4 employees

Agricultural employees of enterprises in ISIC/NACE 01 over 4 employees

Employees of enterprises other than ISIC/NACE 01 having agricultural activity

Part-time employees (non main occupation) of the private holding

Farm-members producing only for own consumption

Institutional labour statistics

Labour Force Survey

Farm Structure Survey

A few data

Institutional labour statistics

Labour Force Survey

Agricultural labour input statistics

employees employed agricultural labour

full-time part-time salaried non salaried

thousand persons

thousand persons thousand

persons thousand

AWU thousand persons

thousand AWU

90,8 7,5 194,0 139,5 89,5 1 338,9 392,6

Conclusions

• different needs require different approaches

• objective of survey determine use of data

• FSS covers all of agricultural labour

Thank you very much for your attention!