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Lao Agriculture Census 1998-1999

Lao People's Democratic Republic, 1999
Reference ID
LAO_LSB_LAC-1998-1999_v1.0
Producer(s)
State Planning Committee (SPC), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
Collections
Microdata Catalogue
Metadata
DDI/XML JSON
Created on
Jun 14, 2026
Last modified
Jun 15, 2026
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  • Study Description
  • Data Dictionary
  • Downloads
  • Get Microdata
  • Identification
  • Version
  • Scope
  • Coverage
  • Producers and sponsors
  • Sampling
  • Survey instrument
  • Data collection
  • Data processing
  • Data Access
  • Disclaimer and copyrights
  • Contacts
  • Metadata production
  • Identification

    Survey ID number

    LAO_LSB_LAC-1998-1999_v1.0

    Title

    Lao Agriculture Census 1998-1999

    Abbreviation or Acronym

    LAC-1998-1999

    Country
    Name Country code
    Lao People's Democratic Republic LAO
    Study type

    Agricultural Census [ag/census]

    Series Information

    The Lao Agricultural Census is part of a world-wide programme of agricultural censuses, which started in the 1930's. Over 120 countries are now participating in this programme.

    The Lao Agricultural Census 1998/99 was the first agricultural census undertaken in Lao PDR and covered all 141 districts in the country. The census was undertaken in two parts: a complete enumeration of all 798,000 households in Lao PDR to collect some basic data about agriculture, and a sample survey of households to collect more detailed information. This report presents results of the sample component of the census.

    The sample component was undertaken using strict random sampling procedures. First, a sample of villages was selected. Then, in each sample village, a sample of households was selected for interview in the census. There were 42,028 sample households (5.3 percent of all households) in 2,454 sample villages (22 percent of all villages). The census data collection was undertaken in February and March 1999. Data were collected in respect of the 1998 wet season and 1998/99 dry season. Further information on the census methodology is given in Chapter 3.

    The census was undertaken under the overall control of the Agricultural Census Steering Committee, which comprised representatives of the State Planning Committee (SPC) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), according to the Prime Minister's Decree No. 21 of 9 September 1997. The Agricultural Census Office, with staff from MAF and the Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB) of SPC, was established to implement the census.

    Abstract

    The census was developed based on the guidelines given in FAO Statistical Development Series No.5: Programme for the World Census of Agriculture 2000 (FAO 1996), taking into account the circumstances in Lao PDR. Extra emphasis was given to data on rice, because of its importance in Lao agriculture.

    One of the keys to running an agricultural census is defining a suitable "farm" unit. In the Lao Agricultural Census, the farm unit used was the agricultural holding, defined as an economic unit of agricultural production under single management, comprising all livestock raised and all agricultural land operated, regardless of ownership. An agricultural holding is sometimes referred to as a "holding" or a "farm household".

    Only household units were included in the census; that is, agricultural activities of businesses, government organisations, etc. were excluded. Usually, an agricultural holding is the same as a household, but sometimes it consists of two or more households operating as a partnership.

    The Lao Agricultural Census covered only those units that either:
    operated 0.02 ha or more of agricultural land in the 1998 wet season or the 1998/99 dry season; or
    were raising 2 or more cattle or buffaloes, 5 or more pigs or goats, or 20 or more poultry at the time of the census.

    An agricultural holding can be a land holding or a livestock holding. A land holding is one that operated 0.02 ha or more of agricultural land in 1998/99. A livestock holding is an agricultural holding that is not a land holding.

    One of the interesting features of the agricultural sector as the market system develops is measuring the extent to which farmers participate in the market economy. In the census, information was collected for each agricultural holding on:
    the main purpose of production on the holding in 1998/99;
    whether, in 1998/99, any production by the holding was sold, whether any was exchanged for other produce, and whether any was used for home consumption.

    Kind of Data

    Census/enumeration data [cen]

    Unit of Analysis

    Agricultural holdings

    Version

    Version Description

    v1.1: Edit data, first version, for internal use only.

    Version Date

    2010-06-14

    Scope

    Notes

    The short questionnaire (Form 4) includes information to be collected, such as household size, number of each type of livestock, and the area of each crop planted.

    1. Agricultural holdings
    2. Area of holdings
    3. Land use (% of land)
    4. Land tenure
    5. Land clearance (% of land)
    6. Rice cultivation
    7. Other crops (% of holdings growing crop)
    8. Fruit trees (% of holdings growing crop)
    9. Use of inputs (% of holdings)
    10. Livestock ('000 of animals)
    11. Poultry ('000 of birds)
    12. Percent of holdings with livestock
      13.Average animals per holding
    13. Herd structure: cattle & buffaloes (%)
    14. Use of vaccination (% of holdings)
    15. Use of farm machinery (% of holdings)
    16. Fishing (% of holdings)
    17. Farm labour
    18. Farming systems of ethnic groups
    19. Sale of farm produce (% of holdings)
    Topics
    Topic Vocabulary URI
    NATURAL ENVIRONMENT [9] CESSDA http://www.nesstar.org/rdf/common
    HOUSING AND LAND USE PLANNING [10] CESSDA http://www.nesstar.org/rdf/common
    LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT [3] CESSDA http://www.nesstar.org/rdf/common
    SOCIAL STRATIFICATION AND GROUPINGS [12] CESSDA http://www.nesstar.org/rdf/common

    Coverage

    Geographic Coverage

    Nationawide coverage, covering all 141 districts in the country.

    Universe

    there were 798,000 private households in Lao PDR. Of these, 668,000 were agricultural holdings;

    Producers and sponsors

    Primary investigators
    Name
    State Planning Committee (SPC)
    Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF)
    Producers
    Name Role
    National Statistic Center, State Planning Committee Coodinator, Technical Support, Supervisor
    Lao Statistics Bureau Coodinator, Technical Support, Supervisor
    Food and Agriculture Oganization Expert
    Funding Agency/Sponsor
    Name Abbreviation Role
    Swedish International Development Co-operation Authority SIDA financial and technical support
    Government of Lao GOL Financial Support
    Other Identifications/Acknowledgments
    Name Affiliation Role
    Provincial Department of Planning and Cooperation PDPC Provincial Coodinator and Field Supervisor
    Provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry PAFO Technical Coodinator and Field Supervisor
    District Planning Office DPO Field data collection
    District Agriculture and Forestry Office DAFO Field data collection

    Sampling

    Sampling Procedure

    For the long Questionnaire: The sample component was undertaken using strict random sampling procedures. First, a sample of villages was selected. Then, in each sample village, a sample of households was selected for interview in the census. There were 42,028 sample households (5.3 percent of all households) in 2,454 sample villages (22 percent of all villages).

    Survey instrument

    Questionnaires

    Form 4: Short Questionnaire (Form 4)
    Form 5: Long Questionnaire (Form 5)
    Form 8: Part C Continuation Sheet
    Form 9: Part D Continuation Sheet
    Form 10: Part E Continuation Sheet
    Form 11: Part F Continuation Sheet
    Form 12: Part I Continuation Sheet

    Methodology notes

    At headquarters:

    1. Manual checking, editing and coding.
    2. Destop computer 20 used.
    3. Data entry in Microsoft Access programe Database.
    4. SPSS data processing (Tabulation).
    5. Microsoft wolrd (Reporting).
    6. Microft Exel (Tabulation).

    Data collection

    Dates of Data Collection
    Start End
    1999-02-22 1999-03-19
    Time periods
    Start date End date
    1997-09-09 2000
    Mode of data collection
    • Face-to-face [f2f]
    Data Collectors
    Name Affiliation Abbreviation
    District of Planning Office State Planning Committee DPO
    District of Agriculture and Forestry Office Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. DAFO
    Supervision
    1. National Statistic Center, State Planning Committee.
    2. Provincial Planning department.
    3. Division of Statistic, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
    4. Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department.
    Data Collection Notes

    The Lao Agricultural Census involves the collection of information on crops and livestock from all 800,000 households in Lao PDR. It was conducted in all 141 districts 17 provinces and 1 Xaysomboon special region in whole country.

    Two types of data collection are being undertaken.

    In some villages (so-called sample villages), enumerators will collect detailed crop and livestock information from some households, and some basic crop and livestock information from all other households. In all other villages (so-called CE villages), enumerators will collect basic crop and livestock information from all households. No detailed data will be collected.

    Two groups of enumerators have been formed for the census data collection. One group will do the data collection in the sample villages (sample enumerators); the other group will do the data collection in the CE villages (CE enumerators).

    The timetable for census enumeration is:

    4-15 January 1999: Field supervisor training.
    3-12 February 1999: Enumerator training (sample enumerators).
    15-18 February 1999: Enumerator training (CE enumerators).
    18 February 1999: Training of district supervisors.
    22 February-19 March 1999: Data collection.
    19 March 1999: Deadline for return of questionnaires to the field supervisors.

    Data processing

    Data Editing
    1. National Statistic Center, State Planning Committee.
    2. Division of Statistic, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

    Errors to be corrected during the data entry:
    "Fatal" error; that is, the data are wrong and should be corrected in the editing process (not during the data entry).
    "Query" error; that is, the data might be wrong and should be checked during the editing process (not during the data entry).

    Data Access

    Access authority
    Name Affiliation Email
    Mr. Souksavanh INTHARACK DOP, MAF souksavanh_inth@yahoo.com
    Mr. Bounloy LSB, MPI
    Confidentiality
    Is signing of a confidentiality declaration required? Confidentiality declaration text
    yes To make no copies of any files or portions of files to which s/he is granted access except those authorized by the data depositor.
    Access conditions

    The data and other materials will not be redistributed or sold to other individuals, institutions, or organizations without the written agreement of the Lao PDR National Data Archive.

    Citation requirements

    "Department of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR, Lao Agriculture Census 1998-1999 (LAC 1998-1999), Version 1.1 (June 2010)."

    Disclaimer and copyrights

    Disclaimer

    The user of the data acknowledges that the Department of Planning, MAF and Lao Statistics Bureau, MPI bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.

    Copyright

    (c) 2007, Minstry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Planning and Investment.

    Contacts

    Contacts
    Name Affiliation Email
    Mr. Souksavanh INTHARACK Department of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry souksavanh_inth@yahoo.com
    Dr. Phuang Pharisack, General Director Department of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry souksavanh_inth@yahoo.com

    Metadata production

    DDI Document ID

    LAO_LSB_LAC-1998-1999_m_EN_v1.0

    Producers
    Name Abbreviation Affiliation Role
    Mr Souksavanh INTHARACK SI Department of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Documenter
    Mr. Bounloy Sengkhamyong BS Lao Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Planning and Investment Documenter
    Mr. Viengkham SOMSAAT VS Lao Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Planning and Investment Database specialist
    Date of Metadata Production

    2010-06-14

    Metadata version

    DDI Document version

    Version 1.0 (14 June 2010)

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