NSO to conduct agri survey

CEBU, Philippines - The National Statistics Office-7 will conduct a survey on the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) in Cebu this August.

This is part of the NSO’s preparation of the Census of Agriculture and Fisheries that will be implemented nationwide next year.

A survey on household agricultural activities in every barangay, the NSO considers the RSBSA a big task as this involves big budget and more personnel.

“We will establish a data base on whether they are involved in agricultural activities or not or if they have a participation in the agricultural activities or if they have agricultural products as part of their business,” said Noel Rafols, NSO-7 Statistical Coordination Officer and Public Information Officer, during the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) forum yesterday.

Siquijor has already been made as pilot province for the RSBSA in December last year and NSO officials consider as a great challenge its implementation in Ceb, being one of the biggest provinces in terms of population.

This is the reason why NSO has partnered with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Budget Management, Department of Interior and Local Government and the local government units.

“We need to work with the barangay officials since they could be of help for the active participation of the barangay as they know their constituents well and who will be the enumerators in their barangay for the said survey,” Rafols said.

“The data that will be gathered will be used for the economic planning, decision and policy making for the economic development of the country,” Rafols said.

The NSO will also conduct the family Income and Expenditure Survey next month.

Juanilla Premne, NSO District Statistics Officer of Cebu North District, said that “we will be asking sensitive questions during this survey, in terms of the budget of each household and more. So I hope that they will cooperate,” she said. – (FREEMAN)