Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) will conduct a census of livestock, stables and agricultural land in 2023, while the census of the population, households and apartments is questionable.
The last population census was in 2013, three years after most countries in the world. At that time, it was delayed due to political disagreements, and the main dispute was whether those who live and work outside BiH will also be counted.
This year, the population census is questionable, because no money is foreseen in the state budget, and before that, a special law needs to be passed.
“Funds for the population census were not requested through the budget request, and therefore are not included in the Budget of the institutions of BiH for 2023,” the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH confirmed.
The results of the first post-war census were published in 2016. They showed that 3.5 million people live in BiH.
The first agricultural census after 60 years
The census of agriculture is planned to be realized at the end of this year. The money is provided in the budget. A trial one was conducted in October 2022, and a full census is currently being prepared.
A request for expert assistance was sent to the European Union (EU) delegation in BiH, which, they say, is in the approval phase at the State Agency for Statistics.
The last complete census of agriculture was conducted in 1960, while in 1969 it was conducted using the sample method, when 20 percent of agricultural holdings were enumerated. It included the then “social” and individual farms.
Agricultural holdings, land, arable land according to the crops grown on them (wheat, potatoes, etc.), pastures, orchards, ponds, the number of cattle, poultry, beehives and the like will be listed.
It also lists whether a soil analysis was performed and what it showed, whether the land is irrigated and how, and agricultural machinery and equipment. Some of the questions are whether they received and what kind of incentives, whether they have an agricultural loan, whether they use a computer in their work and whether they have internet access, Radio Slobodna Evropa writes.
E.Dz.
