“Dit is belangrik om akkurate inligting te hê wanneer ons besigheidsbesluite neem.” Só sê Gerhard Kriel, Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van Vrystaat Landbou (VL), oor die Sensus vir Kommersiële Landbou (CoCA). Daarom doen hy ’n beroep op VL se lede om aan die sensus, wat deur Statistieke Suid-Afrika (Stats SA) gedoen word, deel te neem.

“Die enigste manier hoe ons ’n omvattende stelsel daar sal kry, is om saam met Statistieke Suid-Afrika te werk en die nodige inligting te kry,” sê Kriel. Akkurate en betroubare inligting is nodig waarvolgens besluite geneem en beplanning gedoen kan word.

Stats SA het in Oktober 2018 met die landbousensus begin. Dit sal tot Junie 2019 duur en die resultate sal teen die einde van November 2019, onder meer op Stats SA se webtuiste www.statssa.gov.za, gepubliseer word. Tussen 15 Desember 2018 en 15 Januarie 2019 sal daar geen sensus-aktiwiteite plaasvind nie.

Volgens Gernie Botha, Regsadviseur van VL, het die vorige sensus van kommersiële landbou in 2007 plaasgevind en kon daar weens ’n tekort aan fondse nie in 2012 een gedoen word nie. “Die Voedsel en Landbou Organisasie, sowel as die Verenigde Nasies beveel aan dat ’n land minstens een keer elke tien jaar ʼn sensus van kommersiële landbou doen,” sê hy.

Die sensus versamel data oor die aard (aktiwiteite) en struktuur van die landboubedryf (boerdery, bosbou en visserye). Die versamelde inligting word deur die regering gebruik vir beleidsformulering, besluitneming en die prestasie van die bedryf te monitor. Hierdie statistieke kan ook gebruik word deur landbouers/operateurs in ontledings van vergelykende sake- en beleggingsbesluite.

Werkswyse van sensus-proses

Daar word deur VL se strukture, via sy Streekverteenwoordigers en Veiligheidskoördineerders, gekommunikeer oor die tye en areas waarin gewerk en inligting oor Stats SA se veldbeamptes en hul voertuie verskaf word. Plaasprotokol is van toepassing.

Stats SA se dataversamelaars sal in besit wees van ʼn amptelike Stats SA identifikasie kaart, waarop die Stats SA logo aangebring is. Geen foto’s word tydens die sensus geneem nie.

VL gee opleiding oor toeganing tot plase

VL het voor die aanvang van die landbousensus in Bloemfontein met Stats SA oor die CoCA-proses vergader en onder meer opleiding aan veldwerkers gegee oor die korrekte protokol en prosedures vir die toegang tot plase.

Botha het hulle touwys gemaak oor die proses voor data-insameling, benadering vir veldwerkers by die insameling van data en hoe om met VL se kantoor en streekverteenwoordigers te kommunikeer wanneer hulle werk.

Vir navrae, kontak Botha, Dr Jack Armour, Bedryfsbestuurder van VL, of Dr Jane Buys, Veiligheidsrisiko-analis by VL, by VL se kantoor by 051 444 4609.

Sien die volgende sensus-dokumente hieronder:

Die sensus-vraelys kan hier afgelaai word.

Klik hier vir riglyne oor hoe om die sensus-vraelys te voltooi.

Klik hier vir ’n opsomming wat die sensus behels, nuttige inligting, algemene vrae en belangrike kontakbesonderhede indien nodig.

What do we need to know about the Agricultural Sensus? 

“It’s important to have accurate information when we make business decisions.” This is according to Gerhard Kriel, Chief Executive Officer of Free State Agriculture (FSA) when he commented on the Census of Commercial Agriculture (CoCA). He appeals to members of the FSA to participate in the census, conducted by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).

“The only way we will get a comprehensive system is to work with Statistics South Africa and get the necessary information,” says Kriel. Accurate and reliable information is required to make decisions and plan correctly.

Stats SA started the agricultural census in October 2018. It will last until June 2019 and the results will be published by the end of November 2019. This will for instance be done on Stats SA’s website www.statssa.gov.za. No census activities will take place between 15 December 2018 and 15 January 2019.

According to Gernie Botha, Legal Adviser of FSA, the previous census of commercial agriculture took place in 2007 and due to a lack of funds could not be done in 2012. “The Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as the United Nations, recommend that a country do a census of commercial agriculture at least once every ten years,” he said.

The census of commercial agriculture collects data on the nature (activities) and structure of the agricultural industry (farming, forestry and fisheries). The collected data is used by government to monitor policy formulation, decision making and industry performance. These statistics can also be used by farmers/operators in analyses of comparative business and investment decisions.

 

Procedure of census

FSA will communicate through its structures, using its Regional Representatives and Safety Co-ordinators, about the times and areas in which Stats SA is working. Information about State SA’s field officials will also be provided. Farm protocol is applicable.

Statistics SA’s data collectors will be in possession of an official Stats SA identification card, stating the Stats SA logo. No pictures are taken during the census.

 

FSA provided training on access to farms

FSA met with Stats SA on the CoCA process in Bloemfontein before the start of the agricultural census, which included training for field workers on the correct protocol and procedures for access to farms.

Botha advised them on the process prior to data collection, approach for fieldworkers when collecting data and how to communicate with FSA’s office and Regional Representatives when they are operating.

 

For inquiries, contact Botha, Dr Jack Armour, Operations Manager of FSA, or Dr Jane Buys, Safety and Risk Analyst at FSA, at FSA’s office at 051 444 4609.

 

See the following census documents below:

Click here to download the census questionnaire.

Click here for guidelines on how to complete the census questionnaire.