A mismatch between data provided by the ministries of planning and agriculture has been creating difficulties in policy making, speakers at a programme on Sunday said.
In the production data of major crops, there exist a huge difference between the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and different departments under the agriculture ministry, they said.
The observation came at the inaugural programme of a three-day training course for the divisional and district level census coordinators on the eve of the Sixth Agriculture Census of the country to be conducted between June 09 and June 20.
Speaking as the chief guest, Planning Minster MA Mannan said: "We are still an agriculture-based country; crop, fisheries and livestock are our arteries."
For enacting proper policy, the country needs authentic data on agriculture and agri-business. And, well-trained statistical people and enumerators are needed for collecting more accurate data in a survey or census, he said.
He announced for developing a comprehensive training institute for people who work with statistics.
Agriculture secretary Md Nasiruzzaman said there is data mismatch between the BBS and departments under the agriculture ministry like the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
He said the production of fruits have increased significantly in last ten years which is not reflected in the BBS data. He said the census should also focus on areas which grow nutrition-rich and chemical-free safe crops.
The secretary said the supply glut is the major reason for the price fall of paddy in the recent time. "If we have had proper data available in time, we could inform farmers about the potential of a crop in the next season."
Statistics and informatics secretary Saurendra Nath Chakrabarty, fisheries and livestock secretary Raisul Islam Mondal, BBS director general Dr Krishna Gayen, among others, addressed the programme.
Project director of the Agriculture Census 2019 Jafor Ahmed Khan said the census will collect information on number and size of holdings, land use, crop pattern, and wide range of activities of farm and non-farm holdings.
It will also provide information on cultivation methods, number of cattle, birds, fish farming, and involved manpower.
The report of the Agriculture Census 2019 will be published within next year (2020), he said.
He also said that the survey is expected to include additional 50 farm items of crop, fish, livestock and forestry, following diversified farming and trade in the country.
A total of 0.177 statisticians including 0.15 million of enumerators will conduct the 2019 agri census.
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