Metadata Factsheet

3. Goals and Targets addressed

3a. Goal

N/A

3b. Target

Headline indicator for Target 10. Ensure that areas under agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and forestry are managed sustainably, in particular through the sustainable use of biodiversity, including through a substantial increase of the application of biodiversity friendly practices, such as sustainable intensification, agroecological and other innovative approaches, contributing to the resilience and long-term efficiency and productivity of these production systems, and to food security, conserving and restoring biodiversity and maintaining nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services.

5. Definitions, concepts and classifications

5a. Definition

The indicator is defined by the formula:

𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 /𝐴𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

This implies the need to measure both the extent of land under productive and sustainable agriculture (the numerator), as well as the extent of agriculture land area (the denominator).

• The numerator captures the three dimensions of sustainable production: environmental, economic and social. It corresponds to agricultural land area of the farms that satisfy the sustainability criteria of the 11 sub-indicators selected across all three dimensions.

• The denominator in turn the sum of agricultural land area (as defined by FAO) utilized by agricultural holdings that are owned (excluding rented-out), rented-in, leased, sharecropped or borrowed. State or communal land used by farm holdings is not included. Please see the methodological document prepared by FAO for a more detailed explanation.

The scope of the indicator is the agricultural farm holding, and more precisely the agricultural land area of the farm holdings, i.e. land used primarily to grow crops and raise livestock. This choice of scope is fully consistent with the intended use of a country’s agricultural land area as the denominator of the aggregate indicator. Specifically, the following are:

Included within scope:

• Intensive and extensive crops and livestock production systems.

• Subsistence agriculture.

• State and common land when used exclusively and managed by the farm holdings.

• Food and non-food crops and livestock products (e.g. tobacco, cotton, and sheep wool). • Crops grown for fodder or for energy purposes.

• Agro-forestry (trees on the agriculture land areas of the farm) and Aquaculture, to the extent that it takes place within the agricultural land area of the farm as secondary activities. For example, rice fish farming and similar systems.

Excluded from scope:

• State and common land not used exclusively by the farm holding.

• Nomadic pastoralism.

• Production from gardens and backyards. Production from hobby farms

• Holdings focusing exclusively on aquaculture.

• Holdings focusing exclusively on forestry.

• Food harvested from the wild.

5b. Method of computation

Steps undertaken to develop the methodology of the indicator include:

1. Determining the scope of the indicator: The scope of Indicator is the agricultural farm holdings, and more precisely the agricultural land area of the farm holdings, i.e., land used primarily to grow crops and raise livestock. Forestry, fisheries and aquaculture activities may be included to the extent that they are secondary activities conducted on the agricultural area of the farm holdings, for example rice fish farming and similar systems

2. Determining the dimensions to be covered: Indicator includes environmental, economic and social dimensions in the sustainability assessment.

3. Choosing the scale for the sustainability assessment: Indicator is farm level with aggregation to higher levels.

4. Selecting the data collection instrument(s). It is recommended that indicator be collected through a farm survey.

5. Selecting the themes within each dimension, and choosing a sub-indicator for each theme. The sub-indicators should satisfy a number of sustainability criteria (described in annex 1 for each sub-indicator, respectively).

6. Assessing sustainability performance at farm level for each sub-indicator: Specific sustainability criteria are applied in order to assess the sustainability level of the farm for each theme according to the respective sub-indicators.

7. Deciding the periodicity of monitoring the indicator. It is recommended to be collected at least every three years.

8. Modality of reporting the indicator. The set of sub-indicators are presented in the form of a dashboard. The dashboard approach offers a response in terms of measuring sustainability at farm level and aggregating it at national level.

The methodology proposes reporting of indicator through a national-level dashboard, presenting the different sub-indicators together but independently. The dashboard approach offers several advantages, including the possibility of combining data from different sources and identification of critical sustainability issues, facilitating the search for a balance between the three sustainability dimensions. As a result, countries can easily visualize their performance in terms of the different sustainability dimensions and themes, and understand where policy efforts can be focused for future improvements.

Computation of results and construction of the dashboard are performed for each sub-indicator separately using the ‘traffic light’ approach already defined for each sub-indicator: aggregation at national level is performed for each sub-indicator independently, by summing the agricultural land area of each agricultural holdings by sustainability category (red, yellow or green), and reporting the resulting national total as percentage of the total national agricultural land area of all agricultural farm holdings in the country. In practice, the reported value of Indicator is determined by the results of most limiting sub-indicator in terms of sustainability performance.

5c. Data collection method

A questionnaire is sent to all countries annually since 2020 (http://www.fao.org/sustainabledevelopment-goals/indicators/241/en/). Furthermore, in order to facilitate data collection by countries, a data collection module has been designed, which contains the core set of questions necessary to obtain the data for indicator. If farm surveys already exist within a country, these questions can be integrated into existing instruments in order to minimize the burden to national statistical offices in data collection.

All data collection activities will be done through the National Statistical Office or the offices designated (Ministry of Agriculture in some countries) to collect data for this indicator. FAO, together with the Global Strategy to improve Agriculture and Rural Statistics (GSARS), have developed the capacity development material necessary for this indicator, including a methodological guide, an enumerator manual, data entry guidelines, calculation procedure document, sampling guidance and an e-learning course to train country NSO and other relevant staff on the indicator.

5d. Accessibility of methodology

The methodological, support documents, update on capacity development activities etc. can be found at this link: www.fao.org/sustainable-development-goals/indicators/241/en/

5e. Data sources

In order to propose a manageable and cost-effective solution, a requirement stressed by several countries during the consultations, the methodology offers a single data collection instrument for all sub-indicators: the farm survey.

In the process of capacity development, several countries have suggested using existing data sources or alternative data sources on the grounds that these instruments can be more cost-effective and sometimes provide more reliable results than farm surveys. These instruments include remote sensing, GIS, models, agricultural surveys, household surveys, administrative data or environmental monitoring systems.

Often, environmental data are collected through environmental monitoring systems, including remote sensing. Yet many countries do not have the capacity or resources to do so, and therefore these data are sparse or non-existent.

The methodology considers the possibility to use such instruments, subject to a series of criteria to ensure data quality and international comparability. Other data sources may also be used to complement and/or validate farm survey results. The methodology note also recommends that countries complement the farm survey with a monitoring system that can measure the impact of agriculture on the environment (soil, water, fertilizer and pesticide pollution, biodiversity, etc.) and on health (pesticides residues in food and human bodies). This will provide additional information and help crosscheck the robustness of indicator with regard to the environmental dimension of sustainability. In this respect, FAO has initiated work streams on alternative data sources to improve reporting of indicator. In addition, FAO has also commenced development of a proxy approach to report on the indicator as an interim solution to bridge the data gaps while countries get ready to adopt and implement the farm survey based methodology. The proxy approach is under development, once the proposal is finalized, tested and approved and endorsed by IAEG-SDG will be shared with member states.

5f. Availability and release calendar

Although new data may not be available annually for each country, all new information are expected to be released annually through FAO SDG portal and UNSD.

5g. Time series

Indicator measures progress towards more sustainable and productive agriculture over a three year periodicity because for many sub-indicators, it is likely that changes will be relatively limited from a year to another. Furthermore, the 3-year periodicity will enable countries to have three data points on the indicator before 2030.

5h. Data providers

National Statistical Offices, Ministries of Agriculture or national offices designated by countries will be responsible for collecting and reporting data for this indicator.

5i. Data compilers

National Statistical Offices or designated offices within countries will be responsible for collecting and compiling data for this indicator. They will in turn report to FAO that provides capacity development, conduct quality control and disseminate the information through FAO SDG portal. FAO will in turn report the regional and global estimates to the international statistical community and UNSD.

5j. Gaps in data coverage

The indicator is new and complex and thus current data coverage of the indicator is low. Few countries have reported the entire dashboard, several reported a sub-set of the sub-indicators and majority are yet to provide data. The data coverage will improve over time (in the short to medium term), thanks to the capacity development efforts that include both regional and national trainings and bilateral technical assistance to member states.

5k. Treatment of missing values

Partial non-response at individual level (farm holding) will be imputed using appropriate statistical techniques, such as nearest-neighbour algorithms. The decision on whether to impute or not and the choice of the method is a function of the nature of the variable to impute and the amount and type of data available for the imputation, such as the availability of auxiliary data coming from different sources (e.g. surveys, administrative information). It is important to clearly distinguish missing data from non-applicable events. As specified above and in the sub-indicator methodology sheets, some sub-indicators can be recorded as ‘not applicable’ for a given farm. In this case, the farm will be considered sustainable from the perspective of the given subindicators.

6. Scale

6a. Scale of use

Scale of application: Global, Regional, National

Scale of data disaggregation/aggregation:

Global/ regional scale indicator can be disaggregated to national level:

National data is collated to form global indicator: Yes

6b. National/regional indicator production

https://www.fao.org/3/ca7154en/ca7154en.pdf

6c. Sources of differences between global and national figures

An interim approach to report the indicator using proxies based on national FAOSTAT data is currently under deliberations. This short-term approach once discussed, tested, finalized will be submitted for IAEG-SDG approval and endorsement (in 2022) will be used to report on the indicator. Nevertheless, the capacity development on farm survey-based methodology will continue to bridge the capacity and data gaps to enable countries adopt and implement the indicator.

6d. Regional and global estimates & data collection for global monitoring

6d.1 Description of the methodology

The indicator methodology proposes reporting of indicator through a national-level dashboard, presenting the different sub-indicators together but independently.

Computation of results and construction of the dashboard are performed for each sub-indicator separately using the ‘traffic light’ approach already defined for each sub-indicator. In practice, the reported value of Indicator is determined by the results of most limiting sub-indicator in terms of sustainability performance.

6d.2 Additional methodological details

Several levels of analysis will be undertaken with the data got from member countries. Time series of unsustainability for the entire world (both % and area) will allow to see the progress toward a sustainable agriculture worldwide. Charts by regions will show the % of unsustainability comparing the results of the same triennium, comparison will be done also analysing the results of three groups: developed countries, least developed countries, and developing countries. A map will be used to display the % of unsustainability, considering a given year or triennium, to have an immediate visualization of the most critical countries. Similar map will show the distance to the target of sustainability.

6d.3 Description of the mechanism for collecting data from countries

7. Other MEAs, processes and organisations

7a. Other MEA and processes

The indicator is the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 2.4.1 and is linked with SDG Goal 2 and targets 2.3.1, 2.4.1, 2.3.2 and 5.a.1

7b. Biodiversity Indicator Partnership

No

10. Data reporter

10a. Organisation

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Statistics Division, Agri-environment team

10b. Contact person(s)

Francesco Nicola Tubiello : Francesco.Tubiello@fao.org

Arbab Asfandiyar Khan: Arbab.Khan@fao.org