National rural household survey

The survey will be implemented by the Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas (INE) with TA from the U.S. Bureau of the Census (BUCEN). A Title XII institution will analyze the results and publish analysis reports. The survey, to be conducted in July 1991, will provide data on both farm and non-farm households at the Departmental level and will be based on a questionnaire administered to a sample 5,000 households. The sample will be based on an update of the 1976 census and will be stratified by Department, by the difference between populated centers and dispersed populations, and by ecological zones (altiplano, valles, and llanos -- plains); a sub-sample for follow-up surveys will also be selected. BUCEN will design and pretest the questionnaire. The primary but not exclusive sectoral focus of the survey will be agricultural. All households will answer questions on such topics as labor force and employment, family income, demographic data, education, health, housing and other assets, migration, rural enterprises, and use of credit. In addition, farm households will be questioned regarding farm size, land use, crop production and mix, water and other input use, production costs, market access and marketing of produce, livestock, etc. Survey results will be used, inter alia, to: (1) compare the past and present socioeconomic status of rural households and provide a baseline for future assessments; (2) furnish descriptive information on rural households (by gender, where feasible) to assist in the targeting of policies, programs, and projects; (3) link information on rural households with other databases on the rural sector and with databases for other sectors; and (4) assess the potential impact of different policy instruments on the welfare of rural households. Projects outputs will include: (1) data tapes or diskettes; (2) a data users" seminar; and (3) data analysis publications. A limited amount of hands-on training will be provided at BUCEN/Washington.