The document summarizes Bhutan's Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) Census conducted in 2009. Key points: - The 2nd RNR Census was conducted in 2009 to serve as a baseline for planning and provide updated data, with technical guidance from Bhutan's National Statistics Bureau. It cost approximately $350,000 to conduct. - The census covered 61,578 known agricultural households across 205 sub-districts. Face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires were conducted, attaining a 93% response rate. - The census partially covered topics that align with the World Census of Agriculture 2020, including woodland area/purpose and livestock inventory. Additional environmental topics were also surveyed. - No major

1. Roundtable on
World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2020
Bangkok, Thailand
19-23 September 2016
Chencho Dukpa
Chief Statistical Officer, Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) Statistics
Division,
Ministry of Agriculture and Forests (MoAF)
cdukpa@moaf.gov.bt
Forestry and Environment/ GHG
emission. Country experience:
Bhutan RNR Census 2009
Technical Session 14
1

2. 2
1998: data collection activities decentralized to respective ministries/ agencies
due to lack of manpower at Central Statistical Office (CSO)
1999: Policy and Planning Division (PPD), MoAF, conducted the first 10%
sample survey
2001: The first Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) Census was conducted
by PPD
2009: The second RNR Census was conducted by PPD
P.S: Both RNR censuses were not guided by any statistical law or framework
Introduction and background

3. …intro & background
The 1st RNR Census (conducted in 2001 for reference year 2000)
• to serve as baseline for 9th FYP and beyond
• Enumerators were NRTI Diploma/ high school students
• Fund support from DANIDA
The 2nd RNR Census (conducted in 2009 for reference year 2008)
• Technical guidance from NSB
• Enumerators were RNR extension officers who are civil servants involved on a regular basis
in activities performed by the Ministry
• Total census cost was about Nu 17 Million or USD 0.35 Million (excluding salary of staff)
• Fund support from DANIDA
3

4. RNR Census 2009: methodology
•Enumeration was done in Jan/Feb 2009, except for the sub-
districts of Laya, Lunana and Naja which were done in July/Aug
2009 due to inaccessibility in winter.
•Farm households in the 205 sub-districts and extended
municipal areas were the statistical units; excluded agricultural
activities in towns, schools and military barracks.
•Aimed to do complete enumeration of all the 61,578 listed
households known to be engaged in agriculture but only 93%
could be done due to absentees. Refusals were none.
4

5. ...RNR Census 2009 methodology
•Frame was based on list of agricultural
households prepared by the Gewog RNR
Extension Centers
•Face-to-face interview of respondents
using structured/close-ended questionnaire
•Only one questionnaire was filled out per
household
•No post-enumeration survey was done 5

6. ...RNR Census 2009
•In order to smoothly plan and implement
the census, following committee, groups
and designations were employed:
• National RNR Census Coordinator (1)
• RNR Census Working Group (CWG)
• NSB statistician as Technical Advisor to CWG
• Dzongkhag RNR Census Coordinators (20)
• Dzongkhag RNR Census Supervisors (60)
• RNR Census Enumerators (730)
6

7. Forestry
Items in WCA 2020 that were partially
covered in RNR Census 2009:
• 1301 Presence of woodland on the holding
• 1302 Area of woodland (for the holding)
• 1303 Purposes of woodland (for the holding)
• 1304 Whether agroforestry is practised (for the holding)
7

8. Items covered in addition to the list
in WCA 2020
Forest products Qty
collected
or
produced
Unit Qty sold Price
Nu/unit
Bangchung
(bamboo)
Baskets (bamboo)
Cups (wood)
Cordyceps
Wild mushroom
Orchid flowers
...
...
8

9. Forestry...
Major challenges encountered related to the collection of items of
the theme assigned:
• None faced
Changes/plans (or can) introduce regarding the assigned theme in
the next census of agriculture in the light of the WCA 2020
• rephrase items in line with WCA 2020
• many items from RNR Census 2009 can be removed, e.g. items relevant at community
level
9

10. Environment/GHG emission
Items in WCA 2020 that were partially
covered in RNR Census 2009:
• 0504 Number of animals: age and sex (for each livestock
type)
•0411 Use of each type of fertilizer
•1506 Rice cultivation – irrigation and water regimes
•1509 Permanent crops – age of plantations
10

11. Environment/GHG emission
Additional items in RNR Census 2009 related
to environment/ GHG emission:
• None
Major challenges encountered related to the
collection of items of the theme assigned:
• None faced
11

12. Environment/GHG emission
Changes/plans (or can) introduce regarding the assigned theme in the next census of
agriculture in the light of the WCA 2020: Add the relevant items from WCA 2020…
•0501 Type of livestock system
•05045 No of animals according to purpose
•1501 Type of animal grazing practices
•1502 Manure application
•1503 Manure management system
•1505 Final use of the treated manure
•0412 Area fertilized for each type of fertilizer and major crop type
•1508 Crop residues
•0610 Types of tillage practices
12

13. The RNR Census 2009 instruments and
reports can be accessed at...
http://catalog.ihsn.org/index.php/catalog/3615
13

14. THANK YOU
14