CEBU CITY, Cebu, September 1 (PIA) -- The Philippine Statistics Authority Region 7 (PSA-7) is adapting to modern technology by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) in the latest Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF).
During the launch on August 24, PSA-7 Chief Statistical Specialist Engr. Leopoldo Alfanta Jr. said that for this year’s census, enumerators will be using tablets for data collection during the Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI).
“This is the first time that tablets will be used in data gathering. This cutting-edge approach will not only ensure accuracy but also expedite the processing of the census results paving the way for quicker access to crucial data," said Alfanta.
PSA and the Advanced Science and Technology Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ASTI) signed a memorandum of agreement in August 2020 for the Artificial Intelligence for Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (AI4CAF) Project.
This is a joint project that covers object detection, mapping, and crop area estimation of selected major crops and aquafarms in the country using the remote sensing artificial intelligence and earth observation data in support of the conduct of the 2022 CAF.
Alfanta added that “the insights that will be derived from remote sensing will not only facilitate the saturation of areas but also serve to refine the results of census interviews.”
This project will contribute to improving the accuracy of the AI model in automatically detecting crop farms and aquafarms, which can also be used in the development of statistical frames for agricultural and aquaculture surveys.
The result of the 2022 CAF will help policymakers understand the challenges faced by the fisheries and farming sector and help officials make policies and decisions to improve the sectors nationwide.
The result of the census will provide partner agencies and stakeholders with more specific program interventions to address these challenges.
National Economic Development Authority Region 7 Director Jennifer Bretaña shared that the result of the census, which is evidence and data-driven, will help in the creation of relevant policies and programs and would prove to be beneficial in the right funding of programs.
CAF is a large-scale government activity by the PSA to collect data and the compilation of basic information on the agricultural and fishery sectors in the country.
It is conducted every 10 years and will run from Sept. 4 to Oct. 25 this year.
A total of 15,841 enumerators will be deployed nationwide for the entire duration of the census, of which 1,031 are deployed in Central Visyas.
The final results will be released starting July of 2024 on a staggered basis. (MYP/PIA7 Cebu)
