• Introduction

• Methodology

• Summary of Results

Introduction

The 2002 Agriculture Survey is the second Agriculture Survey conducted by the Department of Statistics (DOS) since the last Agriculture Census in 1999. It collected the same information as with the 2000 Survey with the addition of information on climate, forestry and fisheries. The Survey was conducted as a joint exercise between the Department of Statistics (DOS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries and Meteorology (MAFFM). The fieldwork was conducted in October/November for the three weeks by a team of thirty enumerators. The Agriculture extension officers were employed as supervisors during the enumeration period. The 1999 Agriculture Census results were used as frame in which a ten percent sample was selected. A total of 2,302 households were enumerated for the whole country broken down into 4 Regions as follows:

Survey Methodology

Census or complete enumeration of a population was thought to be the only way to collect reliable information about that population. However, the resources required are enormous and the respondent burden is great. The development of sampling theory over the last 50 years or so, has overcome this problem. Today, sample survey are universally accepted as providing reliable information about the entire population with much less resources.

For Statistical purposes, Samoa is divided into four Regions: Apia Urban Area (AUA), North West Upolu (NWU), Rest of Upolu (ROU) and Savaii (SAV). These four regions are further sub divided into villages. Villages are further sub divided into Enumeration Area (EA), 878 in total.

The 2002 Agricultural Survey was based on a ten percent (10%) sample selected systematically. That is, every tenth enumeration block was selected from a random start, and all households in the selected blocks were included in the sample.

The above methodology relies on the enumeration areas being of similar size to ensure that when the weights are applied to the household and individual counts, the population counts of households and individuals are closely approximated.

Unfortunately, this was not the case. The number of households and person in each enumeration area varies enormously.
To overcome this problem, the initial sample selection weights were adjusted to benchmark them to the official number of households per region from the 2001 Population Census.

 Summary of Results.

Agricultural Activity

Total Number of households	23,277
Number of Agriculturally active households	17,829
Number of Non-agricultural households	4,561
Number of Minor-agricultural households	887
Total number of holdings	17,829
Total number of parcels	38,414

Sale of Major Crops

Percentage of Agriculturally active households selling young and/or matured coconuts	12%
Percentage of Agriculturally active households selling copra	3%
Percentage of Agriculturally active households selling cocoa	11%
Percentage of Agriculturally active households selling bananas	15%
Percentage of Agriculturally active households selling taro	26%
Percentage of Agriculturally active households selling taro palagi	4%
Percentage of Agriculturally active households selling taamu	8%

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Consumption of Major Crops

Livestock and Poultry

Number of Livestock kept as of Day of Enumeration

Fisheries

For more detailed information please contact Mr. Sefuiva Muagututia, Deputy Chief Executive Office, Samoa Statistical Services Division.