The Czech Republic participated in the WCA in 1930, 1970, 1980 and 1990 as part of the federal state formed by the Czech and the Slovak Republics. These were followed by the agricultural censuses (ACs) carried out in 2000 and 2010. The AC 2010, to which the metadata and data presented here refer, was conducted together with the SAPM.
Agricultural census 2010 – Farm Structure Survey and Survey on Agricultural Production Methods (FSS & SAPM 2010) was conducted during autumn 2010. The survey was focused on obtaining detailed and complex information on the whole scale of the Czech agriculture, i.e. about the size and structure of agricultural holdings, about their equipment, specialisation of their production and other gainful activities. This time the survey questionnaire contained a new part called Survey on agricultural production methods (SAPM), which covered variables such as tillage methods used, animal housing capacity, establishing of and scape features, etc. A large part of the SAPM variables was surveyed for the first time; it referred especially to variables bringing information on the environmental impact of agriculture (e.g. the above-mentioned establishing of landscape features or tillage methods, soil cover in winter, methods of manure application, water consumption for irrigation, etc.). The survey also served as a data source for update of the Farm Register, which is a basis for yearly surveys in agriculture. In 2003, 2005 a 2007, Farm Structure Surveys were organized as sample surveys.
Kind of Data
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Unit of Analysis
The census scope covered agricultural activities (crop and livestock production).
Agriculture & Rural Development
Food (production, crisis)
The statistical unit was the agricultural holding defined as a single unit, both technically and economically, which has a single management and which undertakes agricultural activities based on the common statistical classification of economic activities (CZNACE), either as its primary or secondary activity, including holdings exclusively maintaining agricultural land in good agricultural and environmental condition.
Producers and sponsors
Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Statistics Department (AFESD)
Czech Statistical Office (CZSO)
Ministry of Agriculture
Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information
Research Institute of Agricultural Engineering
Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic
a. Methodological modality for conducting the census
The classical approach was used in the AC 2010. Some census data were collected directly from administrative registers.
The frame for agricultural statistical surveys is based on the Farm Register managed by the AFESD. The Farm Register is updated regularly. Data on livestock numbers and areas under crops are updated yearly, based on statistical surveys as well as administrative sources such as: (i) the Land Parcel Information System (LPIS) and (ii) the Livestock Register.
Dates of Data Collection
Data Collection Mode
Mail Questionnaire [mail]
Data Collection Notes
Two data collection methods were used in the AC: (i) the self-interviewing method, by regular mail (mail-out/mail-back), and (ii) face-to-face interviewing (PAP!). The characteristics concerning rural development support were not included in the AC and SAPM 2010 questionnaires. These data were obtained using an administrative data source, the State Agricultural Intervention Fund.
A single AC questionnaire was used in the AC 2010. The census questionnaire covered all 16 core items recommended in the WCA 2010 i.e.
0001 Identification and location of agricultural holding
0002+ Legal status of agricultural holder
0003 Sex of agricultural holder
0004 Age of agricultural holder
0005 Household size
0006 Main purpose of production of the holding
0007 Area of holding according to land use types
0008 Total area of holding
0009 Land tenure types on the holding
0010 Presence of irrigation on the holding
0011 Types of temporary crops on the holding
0012 Types of permanent crops on the holding and whether in compact plantation
0013 Number of animals on the holding for each livestock type
0014 Presence of aquaculture on the holding
0015+ Presence of forest and other wooded land on the holding
0016 Other economic production activities of the holding's enterprise
DATA PROCESSING, ANALYSIS AND ESTIMATION
The Department of Statistical Data Processing (DSDP) of the CZCO provided centralized processing of questionnaires using OCR. The DSDP carried out checks for accuracy, coherence and completeness of the data files at the national level (including checks for duplicate identification numbers). The staff of CZSO Regional Offices converted their data files to an electronic form using Dataman Windows programme, including the data from Osev 3-01 and Zem 1-01 databases. All the data obtained using the two above-mentioned ways of data entry were processed consequently by the Statistical Data Processing Dept. Particular exported files were merged and checked using checking rules. All the mistakes found were consulted with respondents immediately and corrected afterwards. After all corrections needed, the database was sent to the Agricultural Statistics Dept. for further steps of checking. The resulting data were used for developing output tables containing FSS & SAPM results.
CENSUS DATA QUALITY
To ensure census data quality, a multi-stage control process was adopted, starting with (i) basic controls during field data collection of questionnaires by interviewers, followed by (ii) controls of questionnaires with responses at the CZSO Regional Offices, and (iii) controls during data processing (logic checks, checks for completeness, linkage to nomenclatures, duplicates).
Estimates of Sampling Error
a. COVERAGE ERRORS
(i) Under-coverage: during the survey, in total 67 newly established agricultural holdings were found. Such holdings were not involved in the sample (i.e. they were not recorded in the Farm Register) but they were surveyed as they belonged to the target population.
(ii) Over-coverage: according to the FSS & SAPM 2010 results, in total 3 474 agricultural holdings do not belong to the target population as they either do not reach the threshold levels for the survey or have temporarily stopped their agricultural activity.
(iii) Contact errors: Exceptionally, correct address of the agricultural holding was not available due to moving of the holding.
b. NON-RESPONSE ERRORS
(i) Unit non-response: 570 subjects -> 2.12 %
(ii) Item non-response: unidentifiable (not recorded) -> final item non-response is 0.
The first publication with final census results ("Agrocensus 2010 - Farm Structure Survey and Survey on Agricultural Production Methods") was released in August 2011. The second publication was issued in October 2011, with final results in regional distribution (NUTS3, selected data for LAU1). The third publication (with thematic analyses) was published in August 2012 and consisted of two parts: (i) farm typology and (ii) comparison of the results of the AC 2010 and the AC 2000 (the co-author of this publication was the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information). The AC results, including the census publications, are available free of charge on the CZSO website. Almost all publications are bilingual (Czech and English).
Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Statistics Department
Paragraph 16 of the Act lays down that it is incumbent to keep secrecy and protect individual data. Employees of the State Statistical Services and other natural persons processing statistical surveys or collecting data for agricultural censuses shall be subject to secrecy of individual data they get familiar with. To this end, they must be sworn to secrecy when entering their employment or before they start the relevant work.
Agrocensus 2010 was carried out on the basis of the Programme of Statistical Surveys for the year 2010, which was published as an annex to the chapter 125 of the Decree No. 386/2009 Coll. in the Collection of Laws of the Czech Republic, of 13 November 2009. The agricultural holding shall supply all requested data; they are appealed in written form or personally by the interviewers.
RIGHT OF ACCESS TO ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
Pursuant to Paragraph 9 of the Act, authorities carrying out the State Statistical Service are allowed to use administrative data obtained or gathered on the basis of special legislation by the ministries and other administrative authorities. The ministries and other administrative authorities are obliged to provide such data to the authorities carrying out the State Statistical Service on their request, in time and free of charge, unless provided otherwise in the Act.
Disclaimer and copyrights
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses