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Agri census nears completionFirst commercial farm census in over 20 years The Namibia Statistics Agency will soon release the results of the first agricultural census since 1993. 
The Namibia Statistics Agency will release a completed agricultural census in March 2017, according to communication official Esther Simasiku. The agency has completed the communal census in the meantime.Simasiku said: “After consultation, the report is expected to be released by end of March 2017.”
Namibia Statistics Agency director of communication Ndamona Kali was previously quoted as saying: “The communal agriculture census report is under preparation and will be released in due course. The data collection for the resettled and emerging farmers is in progress, the data will form part of the commercial sector analysis.”
The communal census, which was released in November 2015, had established that an estimated agricultural household population of 907 715 was made up of 490 149 female- and 417 566 male-headed households. The results further revealed that about 8 040 agricultural households received extension services in the selection of crops, followed by 7 899 that received services in farm management and 7 621 that received extension services in livestock husbandry.
Minister of agriculture, water and forestry John Mutorwa said of the agricultural census: “The importance of a census of agriculture cannot be over-emphasised, especially in the context of the contribution of the agricultural sector to the national economy in terms of gross domestic product.”
Praising the agency for the work it had carried out, Food and Agricultural Organisation country head Babagana Ahmadu said of the agency''s work at the time: “The results mark an important milestone in the Food and Agricultural Association mandate, but more important for Namibia in successfully establishing a long-term agriculture household framework as a basis for planning, monitoring and measuring livelihoods of farming communities in Namibia.”
OGONE TLHAGE