Synthesis of Literature and Framework under the project “Research on Improving Methods for Estimating Crop Area, Yield and Production under Mixed, Repeated and Continuous Cropping

Abstract

This technical report focuses on methodologies used for estimation of a crop area and crop yield under mixed and continuous cropping. It provides a review of the literature on methodologies used for estimation of crop area and crop yield in developed and developing countries. The report begins with descriptions of relevant concepts and definitions and follows with descriptions of various methods used for estimation of crop area and crop yield along with their positive and negative attributes. Also in the report, gold standard methods of crop area and crop yield estimation are identified and various methods are compared against those gold standards and country experiences with regard to crop area and crop yield estimation are discussed. The potential of a small area estimation technique to provide reliable estimates of crop area and crop yield in cases of small sample size is also described in detail along with some applications. Based on a critical review of literature, some relevant issues are highlighted and recommendations are made. The authors would like to thank Naman Keita, Christophe Duhamel and Michael Austin Rahija of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for their helpful and constructive comments that contributed to improving the final version of the technical report. The authors are also grateful to Consuelo Señoret of FAO for her continuous administrative support. The authors thank Dr. S.D. Sharma for improving the quality of the technical report. The authors gratefully acknowledge the suggestions made by peer reviewers, which led to further improvement in the technical report