The Niue Agricultural Census underway

The agriculture census is underway this month. The agricultural census takes place every ten years with the last census conducted in 2009.

Natasha Toeono Tohovaka leading the census says that conducting the agricultural census is very important in collecting information to inform decisions on such matters as food security and development purposes.

“The importance to take stock of what we have, collecting data and determine where we stand in terms of food security.

The information is also useful to inform decisions in terms of development purposes especially for the agricultural sector.”

In the 2009 agricultural census indicated that around 80 percent of the households in Niue had some level of agricultural activity.

This census was supposed to have been conducted in 2019 but was postponed because of the measles outbreak in Samoa where the key technical advisors from the UNs Food and Agriculture organisation are located.

The department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) along with the Niue statistics department have spend the last few months preparing for the roll-out of the agricultural census, working with their colleagues from FAO in Samoa.

Natasha Toeono Tohovaka the lead official from DAFF working with Numa Sioneholo from Statistics department will be leading a group of about 15 enumerators to collecting information for this census.

The group of enumerators underwent training last month and since the 1^st of August are allocated villages that they will be working in.

The following is the list of enumerators and the villages that they will be working in.

List of enumerators and villages

Alofi South – Gregory Harding, Monu Hipa, Judy Nemaia

Alofi North – Goretti Strickland, Haven Siosikefu, Etaena Poihega

Makefu – Etaena Poihega, Brandon Tauasi

Tuapa – Brandon Tauasi, Tom Vaha

Namukulu – Tom Vaha

Hikutavake – Tom Vaha

Toi – Tom Vaha, Jasmine Vaha

Mutalau – Jasmine Vaha, Crispina Konelio

Lakepa – Crispina Konelio