Agri -Environmental statistics and indicators within FAOSTAT

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

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Robert Mayo

UNECE/FAO/Eurostat Workshop on Environment Statistics

(Budva, Montenegro, May 2013)

Agri-Environmental statistics and indicators within FAOSTAT

http://www.fao.org/index_en.htm


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Data for:

Agricultural production;Forestry;Fisheries; Land use;Fertilizers, pesticides, water, etc;Emissions – agriculture and Land use; …

FAOSTAT (http://faostat.fao.org)



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World’s central repository of national agricultural statistics data and key in:

•The development of environmental indicators;

•Assessing environmental costs and benefits;

•National accounts: with respect to environmental expenditures, environmental taxes and subsidies;

•Production and trade in environmental goods and services and hazardous substances, and resource productivity.

FAOSTAT



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• Problems of scale: environmental phenomena are site specific; statistics at the country level may be not very significant in some cases (e.g. “big countries” like Russia, with a variety of landscapes).

• Different data sources: questionnaires, surveys, remote sensing, modeling, field measurements.

• Different data types: statistical data, geo-referenced maps, etc.

Characteristics of Agri-Environmental data



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Data source Pros Cons Issues Examples

Questionnaires Official dataLimited coverage;Different compilers.

Methodologies, reliability

FAOSTAT

Surveys Standard methodologiesDifferent compilers,Big projects: updates quite rare

GLASOD

Remote sensing

Continuous monitoring,Standard methodologies,Global coverage at the pixel scale.

Indirect measurements (inverse problem)

Methodologies, Spatial resolution issues, Quality assessment

Vegetation monitoring,LC maps.

Modelling

Standard methodologies,Global coverage at the pixel scale (if spatial modelling)

Dependence on model limitations

Model reliabilityInput data quality (“garbage in, garbage out”)

GAEZ land suitability, GLADIS

MeasurementsDirect measurements, Input for geostatistical processing.

Quality assessment,Not uniform, coverage, Point measurements.,Varying reliability

Meteo data from stations (CLIMPAG)

Agri-Environmental data



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Tables•Generally data at country level

•Usually from questionnaires

Geo-referenced datasets•Varying spatial resolutions

• Vector or raster formats

• Possible extraction of statistics according to different subdivisions

Agri-Environmental data types



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Thematic area Database Examples of data

Climate CLIMPAG/ FAOCLIM-NetPrecipitation, ET, Temperature, Vap.Pressure, Wind speed

Water AQUASTATAverage precip., Tot.Renew.Water Res., Agr.withdrawals.

Land &Water Land and Water Digital Media SeriesGlobal map of Irrigated Areas, Soil and Terrain Database for Southern Africa, Digital Soil Map of the World and derived soil properites

Agriculture Agro-MAPSProduction, harvested area, Yield for different crops (1981-2001). Large data gaps.

Environment, land productivity, population.

FGGD (Food Insecurity, Poverty and Environment Global GIS Database)

Length of growing period (LGP) zones of the world, Coefficient of variation (CV) of length of growing period (LGP), 1901-1996

Environment, population.

GEONETWORK CatalogueGlobal Change In Net Primary Productivity (1981-2003); Global map of irrigated areas

Livestock GLW (Gridded Livestock of the World) Livestock density, Livestock production systems

Agricultural statistics FAOSTATStatistics on: production, trade, prices, land, forestry, population, fertilizers, pesticides.

Forests FRA (Forest resource assessment)Forested areas, characteristics, policy, trends, management.

Thematic area Database Examples of data

Climate CLIMPAG/ FAOCLIM-NetPrecipitation, ET, Temperature, Vap.Pressure, Wind speed

Water AQUASTATAverage precip., Tot.Renew.Water Res., Agr.withdrawals.

Land &Water Land and Water Digital Media SeriesGlobal map of Irrigated Areas, Soil and Terrain Database for Southern Africa, Digital Soil Map of the World and derived soil properites

Agriculture Agro-MAPSProduction, harvested area, Yield for different crops (1981-2001). Large data gaps.

Environment, land productivity, population.

FGGD (Food Insecurity, Poverty and Environment Global GIS Database)

Length of growing period (LGP) zones of the world, Coefficient of variation (CV) of length of growing period (LGP), 1901-1996

Environment, population.

GEONETWORK CatalogueGlobal Change In Net Primary Productivity (1981-2003); Global map of irrigated areas

Livestock GLW (Gridded Livestock of the World) Livestock density, Livestock production systems

Agricultural statistics FAOSTATStatistics on: production, trade, prices, land, forestry, population, fertilizers, pesticides.

Forests FRA (Forest resource assessment)Forested areas, characteristics, policy, trends, management.

FisheryFI Stat Statistics on : fish production, trade, fleet

FIRMS (Fishery Resources Monitoring System)

Status and trends of fishery resources, characteristics of resources and fisheries, management measures

Agri-Environmental databases at FAO



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Natural ecosystems:Natural fluxes, high biodiversity, highly

differentiated productivity.

Agroecosystems:low biodiversity and high productivity (only for the

selected species) maintained through

massive artificial inputs (fertilizers, work,

pesticides).

Controlled natural ecosystems

Fisheries and forestry:

Human intervention on natural fluxes via harvest control and enhancement

(planting, stocking, fertilization, engineering, pest/predator control), med biodiversity, med

productivity.

Agri-Environmental characteristics



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Market Responses Prices-inputs,crops- Organizational set-up

Environmental OutcomesDegradation of ecosystem functions - productivity, diversity, Natural resource status

External FactorsFood demandPreference, Trade,

Technology

AGRICULTURAL POLICY

Land Use and Management1.Land use choices2. Crop Choice3. Management practices (fertilizers, pesticides, rotations)

Linking Policy and Environment

Natural Factors Climate change, Productivities,

Natural hazards, Bio-security

UrbanizationPollution, Wastages, Degradation of natural ecosystems

Fish & Forest Management1. Harvest control

2. Enhancement (stocking, plantation, pest control, engineering)

ECONOMIC POLICY



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An agri-environmental indicator is a summary measure, combining raw data, used to describe the state of the environment, a risk to the environment, a change in the environment, or a driving force behind such a change, that can be attributed wholly or in part to an agricultural activity or activities.

from OECD 2000

Agri-environmental Indicators



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Policy relevance: need to monitor the impacts of agriculture on the environment and the environmental performance of the agricultural sector.

Eurostat 2011

Example: European directives requiring Agri-Environmental Indicators.

Agri-environmental Indicators: Policy relevance



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International activities on Agri-environmental indicators

in the last 15 years

Institution AreaN. of indicators

ReferencesFirst set Latest set

OECDOECD countries

37 18Environmental performance of Agric. At a glance

Eurostat/EEA/JRC

EU-27 40 28

EEA. 1999. Environmental indicators: typology and overview. European Commission. 2006. Communication from the Commission.

Agri-environmental Indicators



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– Dataset developed following as much as possible the

EUROSTAT and OECD frameworks.

– At the moment 25 indicators are available, plus a complete

new domain on Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Emissions.

– Data are from FAO databases and from external sources

(e.g. IEA, IFOAM).

FAOSTAT Agri-Env Indicators



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• UN/UNECE, World Bank, OECD, EUROSTAT and other agencies in carrying on this work;

• Framework of the Development of Environment Statistics(FDES);

• System of National Accounts (SNA);

• The Central Framework for System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).

FAO collaboration and international methodology



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Environmental Commitments Protected area as % on total areaOrganic Agriculture Organic Agriculture (% of total agricultural land)

N Fertilizers consumption/Arable land&Permanent CropsP Fertilizers consumption/Arable land&Permanent CropsN+P (total nutrients) consumption/Arable land&Permanent Crops

Pesticide Consumption Pesticide use by Ha Arable land&Permanent CropsArea equipped for irrigation Area equipped for irrigation/Arable Land and Permanent Crops

Energy Energy use Share of agricultural energy consumption on the total energy consumptionAgricultural land use change Agricultural land use change compared to the previous year

Share agricultural land Agricultural Area/Land AreaShare Perm.Crops on AgrLandShare Perm.Pasture on AgrLandShare arable land on AgrLand

Conservation agriculture Conservation agriculture area as % of cultivated areaCattle, Pigs, Sheep, Poultry total densityPigs share on total livestockCattle share on total livestockPoultry share on total livestockSheep share on total livestock

Air & Climate Change Ammonia emissions Share of agricultural ammonia emissions on total ammonia emissionsWater Water use in Agriculture Agricultural water withdrawal as % of total water withdrawal

Average Soil ErosionAverage Soil Degradation

Energy Bioenergy Share of bioenergy on total renewable energy productionState Soil Soil Quality Average carbon content in the Topsoil

Pressures

Land

Fertilizers

Driving Forces

Pesticides

Land

Livestock

Soil

Livestock patterns

Cropping patterns

Soil Erosion

Mineral Fertilizers Consumption

Domain Subdomain Indicator title Indicator definition

Responses

FAOSTAT Agri-Env Indicators



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Some Domains within FAOSTAT



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• Run off the land due to heavy rainfall/erosion;

• Leaching into groundwater;• Escape in the form of gas into

atmosphere.

Fertilizers use issues



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Fertilizers consumption: patterns per region

FERTILIZER CONSUMPTION TO ARABLE LAND RATIO

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Wor

ld

Dev

elop

ed

Eco

nom

ies

in tr

ansi

tion

Dev

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ing

Latin

Am

& th

e C

arib

b.

Nea

r E

ast &

Nor

th A

fric

a

Sub

-Sah

aran

Afr

ica

E. A

sia,

Sou

th E

. Asi

a &

Chi

na

Sou

th A

sia

Afr

ica

Latin

Am

eric

a

Car

ibbe

an

Asi

a

Oce

ania

Aus

tral

ia a

nd N

ew Z

eal.

kh/h

a

1980/81 1990/91 2002 2005



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Pesticides use issues

• Overuse and abuse of pesticides at many places E.g.: cotton, vegetables, rice;

• Highly toxic products: Some countries are lagging behind in phasing out high incidence of accidental and self poisoning;

• Food safety and other public health risks (residues);

• Environmental risks ;

• Market access Pesticide residue requirements are increasingly important in trade;

• Pesticide quality (Illegal trade in pesticides; counterfeit products; some countries lack sufficient quality control);

• Obligations under international instruments.



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Pesticides consumption (hundreds of tonnes, 2008)



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Indicator: Pesticides average usage (tonnes /Ha agricultural area, 2008 )

As seen in the previous slide, China is the biggest consumer of pesticides. However, to evaluate the environmental impact it is important to consider the actual average usage (an AgriEnv Indicator).



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4,000,000,000 ha

31% OF TOTAL LAND AREA

The world’s forests



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1990-2000: -8.3 million ha/year

2000-2010: -5.2 million ha/year

Net change = Σ(gain) - Σ(loss)



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StatisticsDivision Capture Fisheriesand aquaculture production in the world



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Status of world marine stocks



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Agri-Environmental statistics at FAO: the ESS website



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Further information and acknowledgements

Further information available at:

FAO Statistics Division: http://www.fao.org/economic/ess/ess-agri/ess-resource-meth/en/

FAOSTAT : Land, Fertilizers and Pesticides: http://faostat.fao.org/site/575/default.aspx#ancor

FAOSTAT : Emissions - Agriculture: http://faostat3.fao.org/home/index.html#DOWNLOAD

Acknowledgements:

The input of Dominic Ballayan, Giorgia De Santis and Simona Mosco is very much appreciated in preparing this presentation.


Agri -Environmental statistics and indicators within FAOSTAT

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