1991 Census of Agriculture of the Philippines

IPC/96-2 July 1996

a monograph by

Dr. Diana Lopez-Meisel U.S. Bureau of the Census Project Manager of BUCEN Technical Assistance Ms. Josie Perez Chief of the Income and Employment Statistics Division National Statistics Office

U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration BUREAU OF THE CENSUS The U.S. Bureau of the Census would like to acknowledge the efforts of Tomas P. Africa, National Statistics Office (NSO) Administrator, and the NSO personnel whose dedication, professionalism and hard work resulted in the successful completion of the 1991 Census of Agriculture. Thanks also go to the NSO staff members who assisted in reviewing the report.

This report was made possible through support provided by USAID/Manila under the terms of Participating Agency Service Agreement number 492-0432-3100-00. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID. Summary

The 1991 Census of Agriculture for International Development (CA) was a large-scale government (USAID) which provided funding operation focused on the collection and support through the Technical and compilation of statistics on Resources Project Number 492- the Philippines agriculture sector. 0432 for training and technical The CA is the only data collection assistance by the United States effort that produces small-area Bureau of the Census, Internation- data on farms, farm households, al Statistical Programs Center livestock, and types of crops (ISPC). grown. It also serves as a sam- NSO successfully completed the pling frame for the intercensal CA with project highlights that agricultural surveys which provide include: continuous data on agricultural and ~ Decentralized computer pro- livestock production. The data cessing in the 14 regional will be used for years to come as a centers and 78 provincial basis from which the government offices of the NSO through- of the Philippines policymakers out the Philippines as well and planners evolve plans for the as in the office in Manila, country’s development. making excellent use of the 318 microcomputers that The main data collection for the were procured and installed 1991 CA was conducted in Febru- to process the 1990 Census ary 1992, simultaneously listing of Population and Housing all households and enumerating (CPH). persons engaged in any agricultural activities in a sample of slightly ~ Approximately 4 million CA more than half of the barangays in forms were processed entirely the Philippines. The undertaking on microcomputers. was a very large operation enu- ~ Field staff in the regional merating approximately 4 million and provincial offices used agricultural operators in the their microcomputers as data sample barangays. The National analysis and management Statistics Office (NSO) of the tools as well as for the cen- Philippines constructed detailed sus and survey processing plans and trained staff with help tasks. During the CPH the from the United States Agency staff were trained to use the

~ ~ 1 ~ ~ microcomputers for data ~ The Bureau of Agriculture processing operations. They Statistics (BAS) used the CA brought these basic skills to results to construct a sampl- the processing of the CA and ing frame for specialized were given specific training post-census surveys. for the CA processing. ~ The NSO used sophisticated ~ Data dissemination tools were data analysis techniques to developed for the CA, and measure the accuracy of the were distributed through CA data with an evaluation seminars and workshops. survey. They also gained The NSO continues in its experience in using micro- commitment to disseminate computer software for tabu- data collected for use by lating measures of precision government and private for the sample estimates industry. from the CA data.

~ 2 ~ ~ ~ Background The 1991 CA is the fourth decen- NSO Administrator and Deputy nial census of agriculture under- Administrator and in collaboration taken by the NSO. The previous with the Inter-Agency Committee census was undertaken in 1981 (IAC) and the Technical Working with 1980 as the reference period. Group (TWG) on the Census of Prior to the 1980 census were the Agriculture, which became the 1971 and 1960 CAs. On a limited linkage between the NSO and scale, the CA’s was conducted other government agencies. The in 1903, 1918, 1939, and 1948 IAC and TWG made several together with the census of popula- recommendations for the improve- tion. However, only the postwar ment of the plans intended for the census results are available. CA. The TWG helped in identifying the data items to be included The 1991 CA was envisioned with in the CA and suggested ways to the following objectives: improve the design of the listing ~ to determine the structure and sheet, questionnaire, and other characteristics of holdings, forms, as well as the CA sample e.g., variation in size, tenure design. The NSO field personnel of holdings, land utilization, were also consulted regarding the and area planted in crops; field operation of the 1991 CA. ~ The subject-matter division in to provide data for improv- charge of the 1991 CA performed ing reliability of current all the tasks from the preparatory estimates; phase to the publication of the ~ to provide a sampling results. frame for other statistical The field operation of the 1991 undertakings; and Census of Agriculture was a pro- ~ to provide basic data for duct of a cooperative effort of the use in national and local NSO and different government development planning. agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of The planning and preparation of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), the 1991 CA were done at the National Statistical Coordination NSO Central Office in consulta- Board (NSCB), and Statistical tion with the NSO Advisory Research and Training Center Committee on Censuses led by the (SRTC). The NSO served as

~ ~ 3 ~ ~ the lead agency during the 1991 CA. The DA and BAS, the major Conducting the data users of the CA, provided 1991 Census of the facilities and manpower for the successful implementation of the Agriculture CA field operation. Selected NSCB and SRTC staff also acted The main census was conducted as trainers and supervisors during from February 13 to March 31, the field operation. 1992, with the year 1991 as the reference period. The enumeration The U.S. Bureau of the Census of corporate/large farms was provided expert technical assis- conducted separately from the tance and training support to main census. This operation improve NSO’s capability to was done from October 1 to evaluate and analyze high quality November 15, 1992, for all the data in a timely fashion. NSO provinces. specialists were trained later by The CA covered slightly more the U.S. Bureau of the Census than 50 percent of all barangays in statistical sampling, estimation for each municipality in all prov- procedures, calculating standard inces except for Batanes wherein errors, data editing and imputation, all barangays were enumerated. evaluation techniques, basic cen- The barangay with the largest sus mapping, data processing using agricultural area (according to the specialized computer software, and 1980 CA) in each municipality the application of microcomputer was covered with certainty, and a technology for processing the CA. 50 percent sample of the remaining barangays was enumerated during Institutional and systematic the main CA data collection. The changes have taken place at NSO National Capital Region (NCR) as a result of the USAID/U.S. was a special case with only 10 Bureau of the Census project. percent of the noncertainty baran- The fundamental management gays in each municipality taken and operational changes represent as a sample in the census. a significant departure from previous agricultural censuses, There were four provinces, name- especially in data processing and ly: Isabela, Laguna, Marinduque, evaluation. This is a trend that and Bukidnon which, in effect, NSO will continue in its future had 100 percent coverage for the activities because they have found CA. In these provinces, an ad- a more timely and practical way vance census was conducted on of doing some tasks. October 1, 1991, for the first

~ 4 ~ ~ ~ sample of slightly more than 50 The following were considered as percent of the barangays while the basic agricultural activities in the remaining barangays were covered 1991 CA: during the main census operation. ~ growing of temporary crops like palay, corn, sugarcane, The sampling frame for the 1991 camote, string beans, CA in each of the 73 provinces of cabbage, etc. the Philippines was constructed by integrating the 1990 Census of ~ raising of permanent crops Population and Housing barangay like coconut, santol, mango, lists with the 1980 CA data on guava, grapes, etc. total farm area. Each of the 1,690 ~ tending of livestock and municipalities of the country was poultry treated as a separate stratum and the primary sampling units were ~ culture of mushrooms, the barangays. Within each munic- honeybees, earthworms, ipality, the barangays were ordered silkworms, etc. by total farm area and the barangay with the largest total farm area ~ cultivation of ornamental and was included in the sample with flowering plants for sale certainty; a 50 percent sample was ~ management of above selected systematically from the activities including planning, remaining barangays. In the case supervising, marketing of of the NCR, the certainty baran- produce, purchasing inputs, gays were identified based on both and record-keeping total farm area and the number of animals, and a 10 percent sample All households from the sampled was selected from the remaining barangays were listed to determine barangays. Within each sample whether any member of the house- barangay, all of the farm operators hold was engaged in any agricul- were enumerated for the CA. tural activity during the reference period. The listing served as the The concepts and definitions in the frame for the census by identifying 1991 CA were the ones used in the the agricultural operators. During 1971 and 1980 Census of Agricul- this field operation, not only were ture. The definitions were adopted the households listed but the primarily from the Food and agricultural operators were then Agriculture Organization (FAO) interviewed and the following recommendations. information was obtained from them:

~ ~ 5 ~ ~ a. legal status of The CA data were manually edited the holder and checked at the provincial offices. Data entry and minor b. farming population machine editing were done at the characteristics regional centers. Tabulations and c. location and size of consistency checks were per- the farm/holding formed at the central office. d. land utilization Data Processing e. tenurial status of the farm parcel(s) of the Census f. main irrigation system of Agriculture g. temporary and The completed CA questionnaires permanent crops were submitted to the 73 Provin- planted cial Census Offices and the Na- tional Capital Region office where h. area planted in they were organized, checked for temporary and completeness of households in permanent crops sample barangays, and manually i. selected agricultural processed. It is at this stage where activities the preliminary counts were made. The questionnaires were then j. equipment and submitted to the 14 Regional facilities used Census Offices for further manual processing and keying. k. livestock and poultry ~ reared or tended Questionnaires were keyed at the regional offices into the l. selected agricultural microcomputers supplied by practices USAID for the Census of Population and Housing m. availability of credit now being used for the CA. The 281 data entry micro- n. membership in farmer’s computers were IBM XT organization compatibles with 640KB of o. availability of RAM memory, 2 diskette extension services drives (720KB capacity), and no hard disks. Keying was p. main source of income accomplished in two 8 hour

~ 6 ~ ~ ~ shifts, working around fre- (CENTRY), data editing quent power outages. Keying (CONCOR), tabulation required from 4 to 6 months, (CENTS), and variances depending on the size of (CENVAR). the region. ~ Before leaving the regional offices, geographic ID Evaluating validation was performed and the Results of the data were consolidated on 28 USAID-supplied IBM the Census of AT compatibles, with 40 MB hard disks. They were then Agriculture transferred to tape cartridge and forwarded to NSO’s The Census of Agriculture Eval- central office in Manila. uation Survey (CAES) was conducted to measure both the cover- ~ The data were transferred age error and content error in the from tape streamer to 640MB CA data, as part of the overall CA hard disks at the central office. evaluation. The NSO has a valu- There they were edited to able tradition of evaluating its data identify and remove inconsis- collection efforts in order to assist tencies, and then tabulated to the data users in qualifying the produce the final publication- appropriate uses of the results, and quality tables. to learn how future data collection efforts can be improved. Follow- ~ The data were processed using ing the 1990 Census of Population the U.S. Bureau of the Census and Housing (CPH), the NSO software designed specifically conducted the Census Evaluation for census and survey proces- Survey (CES), to evaluate the sing called the Integrated coverage and content of the CPH Microcomputer Processing data. The U.S. Bureau of the System (IMPS). It was Census had also provided the NSO developed to run on IBM and with some technical assistance on compatible microcomputers, the CES, under the Population and to be as user-friendly as Census Support Project. The possible. NSO used it for the CAES was based on a similar CA to cover all the fundamen- methodology, although it was tal areas of census processing: considerably more complex than operational control the CES, given the greater difficul- (CENTRACK), data entry ties of identifying agricultural

~ ~ 7 ~ ~ operations and measuring agricul- system estimation in producing the tural characteristics. CAES results on coverage error. Although previous agricultural censuses at NSO were also con- An important aspect of the CAES ducted on a sample basis, the NSO methodology was the indepen- did not calculate corresponding dence between the CA and CAES sampling errors to measure the operations. For this reason, the reliability of the results. The U.S. NSO assigned the responsibility Bureau of the Census assisted the of planning and conducting the NSO staff in using the software CAES to the Industry and Trade package CENVAR, a component Statistics Division (ITSD). The of IMPS, to calculate measures of ITSD staff was able to successfully precision (standard errors, coeffi- plan and conduct the CAES, and cients of variation, 95 percent analyze the results, with appropri- confidence intervals and design ate technical assistance from the effects) for some of the most U.S. Bureau of the Census during important estimates from the critical survey activities. An 1991 CA data. important output from this technical assistance was the technology transfer during all phases of the Releasing the CAES operations. A computerized Results of the sampling frame was developed for the CAES, and the sample was Census of selected electronically. The NSO staff gained experience in main- Agriculture taining the sampling frame elec- As is the case with any census, the tronically so that the weights sooner results are released, the (expansion factors) could be more timely and meaningful they calculated accurately and efficient- are to policy planners. The release ly by microcomputer; a computer of the results of a census, however, file with the final weights was is not a single event, but rather a provided directly to the data series of events stretching over processing staff to produce the many months. NSO made avail- CAES tabulations. The NSO able simple but important tabula- will be using similar automated tions quickly and followed these sampling and estimation proce- with more complex and detailed dures for their future surveys. The tabulations later. Following are NSO staff also gained experience some highlights of NSO’s release in the use of state-of-the-art dual of the 1990 CA.

~ 8 ~ ~ ~ ~ February 1993. There was a editing, tabulation, and meti- special release of the number culous checking, NSO com- of agricultural operators and pleted the core set of CA area of farms drawn from tables. Each table is tabu- summary sheets at the lated by either province or regional level and based on municipality. the residence of the operator. Only selected farm characteristics were presented, namely, Results From total physical area of farms and area planted to palay and the Census of corn. The number of agricul- Agriculture tural operators included those with parcel(s) of land used for The 1991 Census of Agriculture cultivating crops and other results were tabulated in two ways: agricultural purposes as of (1) by the geographic location of 1991, regardless of size. It the farm operators; and (2) by covered both farm and non- the location of the farm(s)/house- farm households. It did not hold(s). These results were pub- include agricultural operators lished in four volumes, namely: of corporate farms and a. Volume I - Final Report by agricultural estates. the Residence of the Farm ~ In 1994, other items such as Operators number of productive coconut b. Volume II - Final Report trees and banana hills, inven- by Location of the Farm(s) tory of livestock and poultry, and other agricultural activi- c. Volume III - Farming ties were the subject of special Population and Characteristics releases. d. Volume IV - Nonfarm Households ~ February - October 1994. NSO conducted regional data The 1991 Census of Agriculture dissemination workshops to yielded important information on familiarize local users with the structure and principal charac- available CA data products teristics of agriculture in the and presented highlights of Philippines in terms of the number the CA results for the region. and area of farms, the tenure of farm holdings, land utilization, and ~ March 1995. After the long the hectarage of most crops grown and tedious process of data in the Philippines by region.

~ ~ 9 ~ ~ ~ Number of Farms very common and make up by Farm Size almost 20 percent of all farms. Almost 91 percent of the Approximately 19 percent of farms in the Philippines are farms are between a half to less than 5 hectares in size, less than 1 hectare in size. 5 percent are 5 to 7 hectares, Twenty-eight percent of farms and 5 percent are 7 hectares or are 1 to less than 2 hectares, larger. Very small farms of and 25 percent are 2 to less less than half a hectare are than 5 hectares in size.

Number and Percentage of Farms by Size of Farm

Farm size Number of (Hectares) farms (000) Percentage All farms 4,770 100.0 <.500 923 19.3 .500-.999 888 18.6 1.000-1.999 1,340 28.1 2.000-2.999 662 13.9 3.000-4.999 526 11.0 5.000-7.000 242 5.1 7.001-9.999 83 1.7 10.000-24.999 94 2.0 25.000+ 13 0.2 Source: Philippines 1991 Census of Agriculture (by location of the farms) final results.

~ 10 ~ ~ ~ ~ Regional Distribution Mindanao ranks a close fourth of Farms with 424,275 farms. All other The region of South Tagalog regions in the Philippines have has the highest number of fewer than 400,000 farms farms in the Philippines with each. 561,538 farms. Central and Western Visayas follow in second and third places with 435,826 and 428,397 farms, respectively. Southern

Number of Farms by Region

Number Region of farms Southern Tagalog 561,538 Central Visayas 435,826 Western Visayas 428,397 Southern Mindanao 424,275 Bicol 394,897 Northern Mindanao 389,493 Central Luzon 351,365 Eastern Visayas 330,374 Ilocos 324,812 Cagayan 297,979 Western Mindanao 260,054 Central Mindanao 233,657 Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao 214,356 Cordillera Administrative Region 110,481 National Capital Area 12,667 Source: Philippines 1991 Census of Agriculture (by location of the farms) final results.

~ ~ 11 ~ ~ ~ Number of Farms by percent are leased. Almost Tenurial Status one-third of the farms are held More than a third of the farms under more than one type of in the Philippines are fully tenurial status; that is, they are owned and another 10 percent partially owned and partially are partly owned. Fifteen rented, leased, or farmed percent are tenanted, 6 percent under other forms of tenancy. are farmed rent free, and 3

Number of Farms by Tenurial Status

Number of Tenurial status farms (000) Percentage All tenures 4,770 100.0 Fully owned 1,647 34.5 Partly owned 491 10.31 Tenanted 718 15.1 Leased 133 2.8 Rent free 277 5.8 Other forms 39 0.8 More than one form of tenure 1,465 30.7 Source: Philippines 1991 Census of Agriculture (by location of the farms) final results. 1Includes land which is still being paid under the operation of land transfer (CLT).

~ 12 ~ ~ ~ ~ Area by Main utilized in other ways: 1 per- Land Utilization cent is in permanent meadows The majority of farmland (95 and pastures; and less than percent) is planted in crops, 53 1 percent each is in homelot, percent is in temporary crops, temporary meadows and pas- and 42 percent is in permanent tures, woodland and forest, crops. Only 5 percent of the temporarily fallow, and other farmland in the Philippines is uses.

Area by Main Land Utilization

Hectares Main land utilization (000) Percentage All farms 9,975 100.0 Homelot 63 0.6 Temporary crops 5,332 53.5 Permanent crops 4,173 41.8 Temporarily fallow 71 0.7 Temporary meadows and pastures 84 0.8 Permanent meadows and pastures 131 1.3 Woodland and forest 70 0.7 Other 51 0.5 Source: Philippines 1991 Census of Agriculture (by location of the farms) final results.

~ ~ 13 ~ ~ ~ Principal Temporary less than 300,000 hectares and Permanent Crops planted. The most important The most important temporary permanent crop in terms of crops in terms of hectarage hectarage in compact planta- planted are palay planted in 4 tion is coconut planted in million hectares, followed by more than 2 million hectares. corn planted in 2.7 million All other permanent crops in hectares. Sugarcane, cassava, compact plantation are each and pineapple are important planted in less than 300,000 temporary crops but each has hectares.

Top Five Temporary and Permanent Crops With Hectares Planted

Temporary Hectares Permanent crops in Hectares crops (000) compact plantation (000) Palay 4,009 Coconut 2,211 Corn 2,737 Banana 299 Sugarcane 297 Rubber 78 Cassava 114 Mango 72 Pineapple 58 Abaca 56 Source: Philippines 1991 Census of Agriculture (by location of the farms) final results.

~ 14 ~ ~ ~ which are more difficult to Lessons enumerate, and the study Learned of content errors will help improve the questionnaires ~ The NSO built upon the suc- and manuals. cessful data processing experience of the 1990 Census of ~ Population and Housing by For the first time, several setting up a decentralized data organizations worked together processing system for the CA toward the goal of conducting using the Integrated Micro- the CA. The main two gov- computer Processing System ernment agencies, NSO and (IMPS) software package. At the BAS, worked together the time of this writing, the from development of the Philippines is the largest CA through data collection, country in the world to pro- with consultations from cess their agricultural census universities and other data entirely on microcomputers. user organizations. Collabora- ting organizations were also ~ For the first time the NSO involved in conducting the calculated sampling errors to CAES, such as the Philippine quantify the reliability of the Social Science Commission CA sample results, using the (PSSC), which contracted the CENVAR software. The services of local universities NSO can use this experience to collect the CAES data, in tabulating measures of and the University of the precision for future agricul- Philippines at Los Baños tural and other surveys. (UPLB), where the CAES ~ The evaluation techniques data were entered on micro- learned from the CAES computers. The U.S. Bureau will be useful to the NSO of the Census collaborated in evaluating the data from with these organizations future agricultural and other and often acted as a catalyst censuses. The results from the in refining communication CAES are also important in between cooperating organi- planning future agricultural zations and in implementing censuses and surveys. The state-of-the-art methodologies study of differential coverage that undoubtedly will also be errors will assist in identifying used by these groups in the subgroups of farm operators future.

~ ~ 15 ~ ~ ~ Working with other agencies and potential users of agricultural census data, the NSO can assure that the definition of a farm in future agricultural censuses meets the analytical and planning needs of policy makers and is flexible enough to be used for historical comparisons and current priorities.

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