Pakistan issues agricultural census after 14 years, 4.8mn donkeys among 251mn livestock

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s long-awaited Agricultural Census 2024 has been released after a 14-year gap, revealing that the country’s total livestock population has reached 251.3 million, including 4.8 million donkeys.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, officially launched the results of the “7th Agricultural Census 2024 – Integrated Digital Count” on Wednesday. The census marks a landmark achievement in Pakistan’s statistical history, covering agriculture, livestock, and farm machinery.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Ahsan Iqbal praised the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) for introducing innovation, transparency, and precision in data collection, which will greatly contribute to the country’s economic growth and prosperity. He emphasized that agriculture remains the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, significantly contributing to GDP, exports, and employment.

The 7th Agricultural Census represents a major step forward in economic reform and data-driven policymaking. It aligns with the URAAN Pakistan initiative under the 5Es framework, which aims to transform Pakistan into a $3 trillion economy by 2047.

For the first time, Pakistan implemented a fully integrated digital approach, utilizing advanced technologies such as real-time mapping, geo-tagging, and automated data systems to collect accurate and timely information. This approach has improved resource management and data quality.

The insights derived from this extensive data collection will play a critical role in shaping forward-looking agricultural policies, optimizing resource allocation, and enabling data-driven decisions at both federal and provincial levels.

Most importantly, the findings would directly contribute to improving the livelihoods of millions of farming households by ensuring that policies are responsive, inclusive and grounded in reality. This would also enable targeted interventions and effective resource allocation.

The 7th Agricultural Census executed after 14 years leveraged advanced technology, including ERP systems, GIS dashboards, geo-tagging, real-time synchronization linked to centralized dashboards for quality assurance and to streamline data collection and analysis.

The census revealed significant increase of agriculture farm households, rising from 8.3 million in 2010 to 11.7 million in 2024.

The cultivated area also expanded from 42.6 million acres (2010) to 52.8 million acres (2024), with 79% of the area irrigated through canals and tube wells.

The livestock population has reached 251 million, growing at 3.18 per cent per annum since 2006, goats (95.8M), cattle (55.8M), buffaloes (47.7M), sheep (44.5M), camels (1.5M) and asses (donkeys) (4.8M).

PBS Chief Statistician Dr. Naeem uz Zafar described the census as more than a statistical achievement, calling it a groundbreaking innovation in governance and public data systems.

By incorporating real-time data monitoring, implementing widespread and structured training programs, and integrating cutting-edge Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, he said this census has set a new gold standard for how large-scale data collection exercises should be conducted in the future.

Muhammad Sarwar Gondal, Member (SS/RM) and Project Lead for the Agriculture Census, said the integrated digital census was completed successfully in just four months. He credited the operation’s success to over 7,000 trained personnel, coordinated support from provincial departments, and collaboration with the FAO and academic institutions.

“This historic digital census has generated crucial data that will drive economic growth and serve as a cornerstone for evidence-based policy planning,” he said.