Volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size
Last updated on 1 February 2022
This indicator is currently classified as Tier II. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the Custodian agency for this indicator.
Unit of measure: Value of production per labour day of small-scale food producers (in constant PPP USD 2011)
Why is this indicator important?
Small-scale food producers constitute the majority of food producers in many countries. Accordingly, enhancing sustainable food production systems and resilient agricultural practices of small-scale producers is important to combat hunger. Developing efficient and robust food production programs to boost agricultural productivity of small-scale producers is essential to maintain food supplies, increase incomes for poor and vulnerable groups, and feed the planet. It also contributes to strengthening rural development. Together with indicator 2.3.2., it defines small-scale producers and provides insights into how much they earn and produce.
By tracking the volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size, data collected for indicator 2.3.1 enables governments to shape, prioritize, and invest in policies and measures that effectively boost agricultural productivity, drive economic growth, and eliminate hunger in particular for small-scale food producers, including women, Indigenous Peoples, family farmers, and pastoralists.
How is the indicator measured and monitored?
Data and information on rural income, livelihoods, and labour inputs is limited in many countries. Moreover, information is usually collected on household level instead of food production unit level.
According to the metadata brief, sources of information are either agricultural surveys, or agricultural modules in integrated household surveys (e.g., LSMS-ISA) organized by the national statistical agencies, with the necessary support from the World Bank, FAO and other international agencies. FAO has been working on computing the indicator for eight developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa based on data collected from the Living Standards Measurement Study-Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) surveys. Results have not been disseminated yet. In collaboration with IFAD and the World Bank, FAO also promotes the Agricultural and Rural Integrated Surveys project (AGRISurvey) which aims to assist countries to collect relevant data on an annual basis.
By Anne Hennings, peer-reviewed by FAO.
Official indicator data
Volume of agricultural production of small-scale food producer in crop, livestock, fisheries, and forestry activities. The indicator is computed as a ratio of annual output to the number of working days in one year.
* Select "year" below to see the most recent data for more countries.
Other related indicators on Land Portal
In addition to the official indicator data, the following indicators provide information concerning the importance of agriculture in a given country or the distribution of land.
| Indicator | Min-Max Number of years |
Countries / Obs | Min / Max Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average size of holdings (ha) | |||
| Employees in Agriculture - Female (% of female employment) | |||
| Employment in Agriculture (% Total Employment) |
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Indicator details
The indicator is conceptually clear, has an internationally established methodology and standards are available, but data is not regularly produced by countries.
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