General Census of Agriculture 2020

The CGA 2020 involved 60 Istat experts and reviewers and about 6 000 enumerators. Data was collected using CAPI, CATI, and CAWI, and respondents were allowed to choose between the different methods. Almost 15 percent of the holdings used the CAWI method, approximately 39 percent chose both CATI methods, inbound and outbound channel, and 46 percent used the CAPI method. Data collection through the CAPI method was carried out by the network of almost 2 200 Agricultural Assistance Centers (AAC) present in all regions and autonomous provinces. Although data collection modes that are not based on face-to-face physical interviews were empowered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the data collection methods remained the same. Further, aerial photos were used for better geo-localization of agricultural holdings. The Survey Management System (SGI) was developed for monitoring the phases of the census process.

Regarding administrative data as a census data source, identification data and legal status of the holding were pre-compiled in the questionnaire with information from the Farm Register. Further, several variables regarding labor force, ecological areas, livestock, etc., were obtained from different sources, such as the livestock register. All census data regarding rural development support were obtained from the Agency for Agriculture Supplies' (AGEA, Agenzia per le Erogazioni in Agricoltura) administrative data.

QUALITY ASSURANCE
Istat has a quality management system. Although Istat has not formally adopted a specific quality management model, like TQM or EFQM, its quality policy is based on most of the core values of such models. Quality assurance and assessment procedures included training courses, quality guidelines, designated quality manager, quality unit and/or senior level committee, and compliance monitoring. Istat implemented different systems to ensure the quality of the CGA 2020. The SGI web application was used to monitor the phases of the collection process. Further, Istat implemented a system including rules of correctness, compatibility, consistency, and correspondence with administrative and statistical data, in compliance with the practices recommended by Eurostat, for checking and correcting data from statistical surveys on businesses.

To foster the degree of collaboration of the respondents and the commitment of the various census bodies, Istat carried out an integrated communication campaign through a plurality of actions and tools, both traditional (billboards and national and local press) and digital. Several actions were carried out to minimize non-sampling errors in the CGA 2020: the inclusion of the frame extension in the population frame to reduce under-coverage error; the removal of ineligible units from the records was performed, while the weights for the other units were left unchanged to minimize the over-coverage error; the most up-to-date contact information possible was used to build the reference list to minimize contact error; explanatory notes or handbooks for enumerators or respondents, on-line FAQ or hot-line support for enumerators or respondents, and training of enumerators to minimize measurement errors; follow-up interviews, reminders, and imputation to minimize non-response errors.