William Okekini Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock

1. Regional Workshop on integrating agricultural questions with 2020 round of population and housing census, Noumea, AGRICULTURE CENSUS IN SOLOMON ISLANDS: FUTURE FOCUS 28th May - 1st June 2012 William Okekini Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Department of Agriculture Planning and Land Use

2. Basic Facts • Agriculture is the ‘backbone’ of Solomon Islands’ economy and rural livelihood. • 992 Islands, total land size of 27,547km2 and 0.62 per cent of the total land are arable and suitable for agriculture production. • 87 % of the total land is under Traditional Land Tenure System • 2009 Household Population census - 515,870, Males – 264,455, Females – 251,415, House Holds – 91,251 • GDP per capita: 2,800 US dollars • Agriculture contribution to total GDP ranges from 35 – 42 % per annum • Major earnings coming from exported agriculture commodities such as Cocoa Beans, Coconuts (Copra & Oil) and Palm Oil. • Stress from TLTS has put pressure on food production, commodity export prospects and food security. • Labor force by occupation in agriculture is 75% • Agricultural commodity exports are still the major source of earnings to the country.

3. Map of Solomon Islands

4. Agriculture Data • S.I is yet to conduct an Agriculture Census • HH Population census (Every 10 yrs) • HIES (5 yrs) • Agriculture Rural Development Study • Cash crop data – Cocoa, coconut, palm oil • Agricultural and Forestry-themed National Minimum Development Indicators Weakness • Consistency and cross-sectional • Measurements and usage of data • Weak partnership linkage between Ministries and other stakeholders

5. 2009 Population Census Questionnaire

6. 2009 PCQ Cont…

7. 2009 PCQ Cont…

8. Coverage for Solomon Islands - Agricultural and Forestry-themed National Minimum Development Indicators

9. Uses of the S.I Agriculture Census Data • Input – output relationship (Productivity) • Production Vs Land use • Population Vs Production • Production Vs Soil fertility • Production Vs Farming systems • Trend Analysis • Food production Vs utilization • Designing Gov’t Policies, planning and decision making

10. Connecting Agric Census to SIIARD Solomon Islands Information for Agriculture and Rural Development (SIIARD) will result in evidence-based policy, strategic planning, decision-making and implementation of agriculture and rural development programs with regard to: • Agricultural land use systems • Areas of agricultural opportunity • Areas of rural disadvantage • Areas of climate-change induced food security vulnerability and adaptability • Areas of Food Security and Nutrition, and • Areas of and for economic growth and development

11. SIIARD Framework

12. SIIARD Framework

13. Frame work SIIARD SIRIS SISEM SIMAS AGRICULTURE CENSUS LAND USE P 3 D MODELLING

14. Way forward • Funding • Agric. Census in S.I to be done before 2014 • Stand alone Project • Questionnaire design • The use of data in policy, planning and decision making • Training – capacity building

15. Thank You for Listening