Inauguration Ceremony of Training for Census Master Trainers for Pakistan’s 7th Agricultural Census – “The First Digital Integrated Count

” July 12, 2024
Mr. Awais Manzur Sumra, Secretary for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives (PD&SI), commended the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) for their efforts in conducting the 7th Agricultural Census, the country’s first integrated digital count. This census is designed to provide reliable, timely, and authentic data crucial for informed decision-making, boosting productivity and exports.
Key Highlights:
• Mr. Awais Manzur Sumra, Secretary PD&SI, praised PBS for their commitment to the Agricultural Census, highlighting its potential to promote a green Pakistan Vision.
• Mr. Awais Manzur Sumra, Secretary PD&SI, also acknowledged PBS’s comprehensive efforts, building on their successful completion of previous Population & Housing Census, the first ever digital Census, the biggest exercise of South Asia.
• Dr. Naeem uz Zafar, Chief Census Commissioner, emphasized utilization of data for evidence-based policies, especially in agriculture sector for national development.
• Muhammad Sarwar Gondal (Sitara-i-Imtiaz) Member (Support Services/RM) and Focal person for the Agricultural Census, noted that this census marks Pakistan’s first digital and integrated count, covering agricultural lands, crops, livestock, and machinery and its contribution in GDP.
• The initial phase involves training 311 Census Master Trainers in Islamabad, who will then train 6,500 enumerators and 1,368 supervisors across 160 district-level venues nationwide.
• Field operations, including the enumeration of large holdings, are scheduled from August to October 2024.
Dr. Naeem uz Zafar, Sitara-i-Imtiaz Chief Statistician, expressed gratitude to the Secretary PD&SI for his support and highlighted the collaborative efforts of PBS, stakeholders, and the government in advancing the 7th Agricultural Census. He emphasized agriculture’s critical role in the economy, significantly contributing to GDP, employment, exports, and food security. He stressed that data-driven policies, enabled by the census, are essential for the sector’s growth and development.
Mr. Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, Sitara-i-Imtiaz Member (Support Services/RM) and focal person for the Agricultural Census, underscored the significance of this first digital integrated count. He outlined PBS’s operational network and advanced digital data collection and training methods, emphasizing the importance of data collection for informed decision-making and GDP contribution. The census, scheduled from August to October 2024, aims to provide essential data for evidence-based policymaking to enhance Pakistan’s economic landscape.
Secretary PD&SI recognized the Agricultural Census team for their pivotal role in the Census Master Trainers (CMT) Training Program’s inauguration, emphasizing the link between agricultural data and policymaking. He encouraged the CMTs to fully engage in their training to ensure informed decision-making and stressed the need for uniform training delivery to supervisors and enumerators nationwide for effective implementation.
“This training of Census Master Trainers is not merely a preparatory step but a cornerstone in our efforts to gather accurate and timely agricultural data,” remarked Secretary PD&SI. “The success of the 7th Agricultural Census hinges on the competence and dedication of our trainers and enumerators. It is imperative that the knowledge imparted here today cascades down uniformly, ensuring consistency and reliability in data collection processes.”
In his address, the Secretary reiterated the government’s commitment to using data for evidence-based policies, particularly in the agricultural sector, where accurate data is vital for planning and implementing development strategies.