THE Agriculture Census entered its 92nd day since it began on July 7, and it will conclude in three days.
According to Statistics Department (DOSM) chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, this remaining period is crucial for completing the agriculture data collection process at the upstream level, covering crops, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture, as well as forestry and logging.
The census provides data on agriculture holdings, including demographic information, yield, input costs, farm sizes, land usage and ownership, mechanisation and technology usage.
The agriculture statistics will be used to formulate short- and long-term policies and programmes to boost food security and productivity, besides promoting sustainable practices.
A total of 1,197,309 agricultural holdings were involved in the census, comprising 1,177,556 (98.4 per cent) residences and 19,753 (1.6 per cent) agricultural organisations.
Up to Oct 3, DOSM had visited all agriculture holdings, including 1,179,173 (100.1 per cent) residences and 18,318 (92.7 per cent) organisations.
In Labuan, the census operations had reached 103.1 per cent for residences and 126.3 per cent for organisations engaged in agriculture.
From these visits, 99.3 per cent of agricultural residences and 79.2 per cent of agriculture organisations had been enumerated.
Uzir said this achievement was made possible through the cooperation and commitment from all parties, especially farmers and agriculture agencies in Labuan, including the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Veterinary Services Departments.
Various efforts and engagement sessions had been conducted with local leaders and agriculture agencies to facilitate the enumerators in engaging farmers and ensuring that no one was left out of the census.
He said this during a visit to an anchovy processing farm in Kampung Bebuloh Laut in Labuan.
Present were Labuan Fisheries Department director Suffian Ahmad, the Federal Territories DOSM director Siti Zakiah Muhamad Isa, and DOSM Agriculture and Environmental Statistics Division director Fauziah Md Amin.
In line with the theme "Key to Agriculture Progress", the census is essential in establishing a new benchmark for creating a real-time, comprehensive and reliable database.
The findings will serve as input for policy planning and strategies to enhance activities for the agriculture-based economy.
Uzir said: "The success of the Agriculture Census was a result of the cooperation of all household producers, institutions, and organisations engaged in agricultural activities."
More information on the census can be accessed on this website or Facebook page.