Co-ordination of household surveys with other statistical activities

U

UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Distr.

LIMITED

E/CN.14/SM/16

■7 June 1974

Original: ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION -FOR. AFRICA :. . . Working Group on Methodology, Organisation

and Content of Household Surveys Addis Ababa, 2-10 September 1974

CO-ORDINATION OF HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS WITH OTHER STATISTICAL ACTIVITIES

CONTENTS

Introduction

The timing of household survey development Relationship between household surveys and

other statistical activities Summary of conclusions

Paragraphs

3-15

16-22

"23-28

M74-H1O

E/CW.14/SM/16

Page 2

INTRODUCTION

1. Papers E/CN.14/SM/13, 14 and 17 prepared for the Working Group deal with the content.and nature of household survey programmes and the organisational and technical means' of implementing them to obtain continuing supplies of integrated demographic, social and related economic data. In short, they attempt to answer the two "basic questions of what data to collect and how to collect them.

2. Two other questions remain to be considereds when should countries set

up ongoing household survey capabilities and to what extent is this work

related to other basic statistical activities. The two topics are of course inter-related, but for convenience they will be considered separately in this .

paper*

THE TIMING OF HOUSEHOLD SURVEY DEVELOPMENT

3. Recent sessions of the Conferences of African Statisticians and Demographers

have made it clear that African countries wish to have more comprehensive

information on their household sectors. In this situation, and with the added assumption that adequate technical assistance can be made available, the timing of household survey development can be considered in terms of operational

opportunities in individual countries related to other (large scale) enquiries.

Relevant considerations would include the following!

1. The timing of population censuses and directly related inquiries such

as post-enumeration surveys, 2. Agricultural censuses,

3. Demographic purveys not forming part of census operations, 4. Labour force inquiries involving households,

5. National inquiries into industry, distribution and employment.

4. It may first be useful to examine population and agricultural census arrangements, for which details are givon in the following table.

5. In the period 1966-1973 population censuses were undertaken in 22 African countries. Another five are scheduled for 1974? of which two have so far been completed, i^ight are expected to take place in 1975 and two in 1976. In this last group of 10 censuses, eight have been postponed from 1974/75* but there is no reason to expect further delays. However, there are four countries which have not yet made firm census plans while it is likely that the six which

took censuses in 1966 will repeat the operation in 1976*

6. The general position is therefore that more than half the countries of

the region have already completed their work on the I97O round of population

censuses and the field activities of the remainder will probably be finished

by the end of 1976. In the same year, a few countries will start the next

round of census-taking.

E/CN.14/SM/16

■*■ <-* t-j" -j

Dates of population and agricultural censuses in African countries

Sub-region and country

North Africa

Algeria Egypt Libya Morocco Sudan Tunisia

West Africa

Dahomey Gambia Ghana Guinea ■ Ivory Coast Liberia Mali

Mauritania Niger Nigeria Senegal ■ ;■

Sierra Leone Togo

Upper Volta

Popula tion

1966 1966 1973 1971 1973 1966

1975 1973

iy fu 1972

1975*

1974

1975*

1976

1975*

1973

• 1975*

1974 1970

. 197,4

Agri culture

1.974

-

1973

1973

-

1972

1972

—

1 O7T

±y ( l

1970 1973 1971 .

-

1975 '

• • •

1975

-

1971 1970

-

Sub-region and country

Central Africa

Burundi Cameroon

Central African Rep.

Chad ■..-.-...- Congo "•' ■ Equatorial Guinea Gabon■

' Rwanda Zaire

East Africa

Botswana

Ethiopia Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Somalia Swaziland Tanzania Uganda

Zambia

Popula tion

* **

1975

1974

.1975*

1974

1971

1970

' •• •

9« ■

1971

1976*

1969

1966

* **

1966 1972 1973 1966

1967 1969 1969

Agri culture

-

1972 1973 1972 1972

-

.1973 - 1973

1971

1969

-

1970 1970 1973

1969

1975

1973 1972 1972 1972 1971 Expected new dates of censuses recently postponed.

E/CN.14/SM/16 Page 4

7. Agricultural censuses were undertaken by 27 countries in the period 1969-1973. One is scheduled for 1974 and ./three for 1975- It is assumed that the remaining 10 independent countries will not be participating in the current round-of agricultural censuses,. In any case, .it has to be borne in mind that

these censuses are rarely the responsibility of central statistical"services"arid

are usually carried out by extension and other staff of ministries of agriculture.

8. Demographic surveys not forming part of census operations can be considered in two groups. There are firstly the inquiries aimed at measuring vital xatea,.

which may take the form of single or multi-round surveys or some kind of

continuing observation. Secondly there are the inquiries of the type envisaged!, for the World Fertility Survey. Not many.African countries are currently

active with respect to the first group and, so far as is known, only two or three are a-fc present taking or planning fertility history surveys. There is no serious problem of co-ordination between demographic and other kinds of, household .survey because it is always possible to use common first-stage

enumerations". ' ■

9. With the notable exception of Egypt, labour force surveys have been almost non-existent in Africa. The only consideration in this respect is

therefore that the first-stage enumerations in household surveys of all ~- ■ kinds will enable the collection of very much more information on economic

characteristics than has previously been possible,

10. Surveys of industrial and distributive establishments are relevant in the present discussion because the creation of permanent organisations for household surveys also provides additional resources for the collection of

establishment data. Details are given in document E/CN.14/SM/14.

11. From the foregoing comments, it appears that the only consideration which has-any serious effect on the development of household surveys is the recent delay in implementing population censuses. At least 10 countries will be taking censuses in 1975 and 1976,; whereas it was originally expected'that nearly all. this work would be completed in. 1974*

12. This, together with the normal'delays experienced in organising new activities, suggests that a regional programme of assistance in developing household surveys should be built up in fairly easy stages, with the number of participating countries gradually increasing.

13* A more detailed examination of population census dates and of conditions in individual countries leads to the following general picture of when : countries might begin to participate.

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Entry.dates to household

surveys programme

Sub-region

Worth Africa West Africa Central Africa East.Africa

Total

1975-77

1 4

3 ■ .- 4 12

1978-80

. 1 ■

7 4 6 18

14- Only 30 of the 41 independent countries have "been included in the table,

on the assumption that this will be approximately the number requiring more

extensive" assistance. Others which already have survey experience and perhaps field organisations may of course also participate, but their needs

should be limited to regional advisory services.

15. For purposes of compiling an overall budget estimate for the programme, it has been -eaU^voiecf that two countries will begin to make use of the programme in

1975 a'nd four in 1976,, with a further six being added in each of the years

1977 to 1980. .'. A further assumption is that each country will take approximately

four,y,ea:cs to develop a permanent field survey organisation of national coverage.

An estimate of the cost of such organisations is given in document E/CN.14/SM/14 and a tentative overall budget is included in E/CN.14/SM/15.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HOUSEHOLD

SURVEYS AND OTHER STATISTICAL. ACTIVITIES.; .

16. The relationships between different kinds of household surveys have

already been examined in document E/CN.14/SM/13- It,is now necessary to look briefly at the --ays in which such surveys are related to other statistical

operations. ' ;v\;. .

17 • Again, population censuses are the most important consideration. The point which must-be specially-emphasised is that the censuses are expected to

provide the geographical sampling frames for household surveys. Essentially, .

a frame consists of the division of an entire country into enumeration areas which are properly demarcated and mapped and for each of which information

is available on the census population and its social and economic characteristics.

The frame has to be maintained and revised ona continuining basis.

18. £ny Oensus which cannot meet this requirement is probably in itself .

defective and must be regarded as a failure in respect of its long-term

contribution to statistical development. The most usual defect is reliance on lists of localities which are geographically grouped to form enumeration areas,

E/CN.14/SM/16

Page 6

but without "boundary demarcation. This method leads to loss of control in

the census enumeration, difficulty in interpreting the results for small

areas, and provides a most unsatisfactory basis for subsequent sample surveys.

19- During census preparations, the ex-tra effort in making a proper geographical

frame is well worthwhile. Short-cut methods are not a saving because sooner or later the defects have to be remedied and in the intervening -period there is persistent loss of accuracy in all census and survey operations.

20. A second consideration with respect to population censuses is that the data they produce is necessarily superficial. Its full interpretation can be

achieved only in the light of more intensive demographic social and economic sample surveys. Household inquiries are therefore a natural follow-up to

population censuses. ■ ' :

21. There are somewhat similar links with agricultural censuses and surveys.

The acreage)yield and production data which they provide can be given a more meaningful interpretation if related to the broader material from household surveys. However, there is only limited opportunity for an operational link . in the sense of jointly conducted agricultural and. household surveys because the former require specialised enumeration: methods and work has to be carried out at particular times during the agricultural cycle.

22. The only other possible relationship which has to be considered, is that, with establishment inquiries. In industrialised countries, household surveys tend to be concerned with employment status and the economic and social

results of employment, while establishment enquiries would cover employment,

production*-and other data*, This means that household and establishment inquiries are to some extent complementary. No doubt, the same situation will develop in Africa as industry "becomes more important, but for the moment the general

need is for wider information on social and economic structures, activities

and trends. As noted earlier, the only operational link between household and establishment surveys lies in tho use of permanent survey organisations for

collecting data from both sources.

.''■■ ' SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS

23- The present time is opportune for the initiation of a programme to assist

the development of household surveys in Africa and the aim should be to begin the work in 1975. However, delays in completing the current lound of population

censuses and the normal problems expected in establishing new activities

indicate that.the work should be expanded in fairly-easy stages. '-;

24. It .is important that the development of household surveys should be co-ordinated not only with current population census operations, but also with all other statistical survey activities. This presents no problem because the latter invariably benefit from the creation of permanent field

survey organisations.

E/CN.14/SM/16 PEeje 7

25• Population censuses must aim to provide adequate geographical sampling frames with supporting data on the number of persons and their broad social and economic characteristics in each unit.

26. The establishment of ongoing household surveys is a natural follow-up to population census operations. They are not only provide a continuing source of demographic, social and related economic data, but also assist in interpret ing the results of population and agricultural censuses and establishment

,* inquiries.

27. While the current need is for rather broad information on demographic, social and economic structures, activities and trends, it is likely that

African household surveys will have to place more emphasis on employment status as industrialisation proceeds.

28. in conclusion it should be emphasised that information on household

sectors is one of the principal gaps in African statistics and the defect has a .significant bearing on the planning capabilities of African Governments.

It is important that it should be remedied as quickly as possible.