Handbook on Rural Household Livelihood and Well-being

Statistics on Rural Development and Agricultural Household Income

Origins

Background of rural development and agricultural income issues at Meetings of Food and Agricultural Statistics in Europe

Topic at all three World Conferences of Agricultural Statisticians

Issues a focus of IWG-Agri Group meetings Team effort of a Task Force set up by IWG-

Agri, coordinated by UNECE (“Wye Group”)

Origins

Contributions from authors of chapters, reviewers and editors

Main text now in process of final editing, but with some gaps to fill

Aim – completed Handbook later in 2005 Living document – subject to revision and

improvement FAO to be guardian of the electronic version

Contents

I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

PART I - RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS

PART II - AGRICULTURE HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND WEALTH

ANNEXE

Part I – Rural Development Statistics II NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RURAL

DEVELOPMENT POLICIES III. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK APPLIED BY

INTZERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IV. INVENTORY OF NATIONAL APPROACHES

TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS V. INVENTORY OF RURAL INDICATORS BY

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS VI. MEASUREMENT ISSUES, DATA SOURCES

AND METHODOLOGIES VII. RECOMMENDED CORE SET OF

INDICATORS AND EXTENDED SETS

Part II – Agricultural household income and wealth VIII CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK -

INTRODUCTION IX THE AGRICULTURAL HOUSEHOLD –

CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS X DEFINITIONS OF INCOME XI INCOME DISTRIBUTION AND POVERTY XII WEALTH XIII INVENTORY OF AGRICULTURAL INCOME

STATISTICS XIV FINDINGS AND GOOD PRACTICES

Chapter 1 – Introduction and background I.1 Background to the handbook

I.1.1 Why is the handbook being produced? I.1.2 Who is the handbook intended for? I.1.3 The role of statistics

The quality of indicators / Data sources to be used / The geographical unit

I.2 What is rural development and why is it a policy area?

Common problems in OECD countries / Developing countries I.3 Rural development – policy objectives I.4 Why a particular focus on agriculture household

income and wealth? I.5 Agriculture households, their incomes and policy

objectives

Why is the Handbook being produced? Strong and increasing policy interest in rural

development among rich and poor countries Aim to provide methodological help by

Consolidating existing work Highlighting differences occur between

international organisations Fill gaps where possible

Roles of a Handbook (BH)

Explanatory – outline context of statistics and main issues to be tackled

Indicative – establish “blue print” of good practice

Prescriptive – in areas where clear guidance can be given (but not a Manual like SNA93)

Supportive – to people working in this area of statistics (often in isolation)

Who is it intended for?

To assist compilers of relevant statistics Wide range of other users of rural

development statistics and agricultural household income measures

Role of statistics

Policy driven – problem analysis and need identification, monitoring and evaluation

Affected by quality – relevance, timeliness, clearly defined, easily interpreted, sensitive to policy action etc.

Often depend on existing data sources Compromises inevitable

Rural development policy

Different but overlapping issues among OECD and developing countries

Policy objectives include Population stability Diversified industry base (beyond agriculture) Accessibility and availability of services Good physical and mental health Participatory decision-making

Why focus on agricultural household income and wealth? Historically important rural sector, though

now much reduced in many countries Still major controllers of land use

(environmental importance) Often seen as engine for rural development Rural development policy often rooted in

agricultural policy Target group for agricultural policy Incomes are a particular focus