Addis Ababa: The Ethiopian Statistics Service has announced that it is providing capacity-building training to over 43,000 professionals at universities in preparation for the second round of the National Agricultural Sample Census. The Ethiopian Statistics Service is making extensive preparations for the second round of the National Agricultural Census, scheduled to take place in 2024-2025, according to Abnet Awaz, the Institutional Transformation Executive Officer at the Ethiopian Statistics Service. In an interview with the Ethiopian News Agency, Abnet emphasized the significance of this nationwide agricultural census, stating that it will provide crucial input for the government's development initiatives and policy implementations. He also highlighted the multifaceted benefits this census will bring to the country as a whole. The Service has already made significant progress in its preparations. They have conducted training for trainers, recruited supervisors, and, in collaboration with the Ministry o f Labor and Skills, have enlisted between 43,000 to 45,000 data collectors. Currently, capacity-building training for data collectors is being provided at universities across the country, including Gambella University. This training program commenced on August 23, 2023, and is a critical component of the census preparation. The manager of the Gambella branch of the Statistics Service, Dubale Kebede, provided additional insights into the scope of the national agricultural census. He explained that the year-long census would encompass all aspects of agricultural development work in the country. The census will cover a wide range of agricultural data, including farmland, uncultivated land suitable for farming, livestock (including cattle, sheep, and goats), and a comprehensive count of domestic animals. Dubale also noted that the training for data collectors and supervisors, which began on August 23, 2023, is scheduled to continue until September 15, 2024, underscoring the thorough and meticulous approach be ing taken to ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of this vital national census. Source: Ethiopian News Agency