• UNITED NATIONS ECONOMI C AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ECONOMIC COM~ISSI~~ FUR ~ESJ E~N ASIA FOOD ANO AGRICULTURE OR~Ai'dl.\1 ION ------------------------------------ Semindr on Methods of Agricultural Dat.a Collection 1-4 Oecemb~ r l9a4 B.a1Jhdad Oistr. GHiERAt. E/EC WA/F A0/34/WG.l/7 6 Novemb~ r 1934 ORIGINAl: English Oata Requirements of Agricultural Plannin g Procedures 84-0197 l II. Ill. IV. CONTPHS INTR8DUCT10N ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• NOI\4-QUANTITATIVE PLANNING PROCEDURES ••••••••••• QUANTITATIVE PLANNING PROCEDURES ................. A. The project data analysis and simulation programme (0A5l} •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• B. fhe fU~AGRI model ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• c. Forecasting ffiOd@fs •••••••••••••••••••••••••• CONClUSIONS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ( i ) 1 l 4 5 7 d 12 - l - £ • I NTROOUC Tl ON PICinning is conceptually the rational utilization of scarce resources for attaning pre-determined development objectives. The plannin g process follows five stages: 1. Description of the economic structures, analysis of the past trends ano identification of main constraints; l· £Jentffication of deve1opment hnes and forrnutation of objec­ tives; 3. Formulation of the effective measures to attain the objec­ tives; 4. Effective implementation; 5. Monitoring ana evaluation. At any of these stages. out mo.-e paf"ticularly the fif'"st two, the quantity ano quality of the available statistical information play a determining ,..of e. The best pi ann in~ proceduf'"e wi 11' rem a in inefficient unless it is supported by valuable data. and the more sophisticated a planning procedu.-e ist the more dependent ana sensitive it is to the qu<Jiity of infor·mation. But. like any econo11ic activity. co11ection of data and production of statistical information operates under resource const.-aints which in turn require optimal utilization. The rati·onaHzat:ion of data col fection and production of statis­ ticc.l infof'"mation staf'"t with a ctecu· definition of the final use,.•s needs. As far as agricultu~al development planning is concerned• the 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the planning and management of agricultural development, highlighting the importance of statistical information and resource optimization in achieving development objectives. The text also mentions the concept of rational utilization of resources, which suggests a focus on economic development.

**Category**
Economic development, Agriculture, forestry and fishing