FAO data records the quantity of cereal commodities set aside for sowing or planting, measured in metric tonnes. The dataset includes seed for successive plantings and crops harvested green, with estimates applied when official figures are unavailable. It is compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization, part of the Africa Development Indicators on the World Bank platform.
Use Cases
- Model national seed requirement trends for cereals like maize or wheat using the annual metric tonne figures.
- Analyze the relationship between seed supply quantities and subsequent crop production areas.
- Estimate input costs for cereal farming by correlating seed quantity data with price datasets.
- Benchmark seed usage rates for fodder crops, such as maize for forage, against food grain crops.
Strengths
- Data includes quantities for successive sowings and green harvest crops, providing a complete input picture.
- Figures are standardized in metric tonnes, enabling cross-country and temporal comparison.
- Methodology describes estimation procedures for missing official data, improving coverage.
Limitations
- The specific row count, time range, and geographic coverage are not provided, limiting assessment of scope.
- Reliance on estimates for some data points may introduce measurement error.
Provenance
- Source
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), accessed via World Bank's Africa Development Indicators.
- Collection Method
- Compiled from official national data and estimated using supply percentages or seed rates multiplied by area when official data is unavailable.
- Time Range
- null
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
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