Agriculture is the basis of national economy. One of the most important work of the Chinese government is to settle down the issues related to agriculture, rural area and farmers (for short in Chinese, it is called “San Nong” Issues )the key point of the project is to settle the problem of “San Nong”. The major objective of Second National Census Agriculture is to investigate the development of agriculture, rural area and farmers, therefore to predominate the basic information related to farming, construction of cropland and water conservancy, and rural infrastructure facilities, and transfer of rural labor forces; so as to provide the fundamental information for policy making  related to development strategy and planning of national economy and various economic and social policies. .the above basic information will provide elements for research of confirmation on national economy development strategies and layouts, and constitute economic community policies. The success of census will be in favor of better understanding the status of agricultural resources, constituting scientific policies on food production, ensuring the national food security, as well as promoting structural adjustment of agriculture, quickening the innovation and popularization of agricultural science and technologies, boosting the comprehensive capacity of agriculture, realizing the sustainable development of agriculture; carrying out the scientific concept of development, coordinating the development of urban areas and rural areas, and accelerating the implementation of the magnificent objective of overall well-to-do society.

The First National Agricultural Census was carried out in 1997. According to the new census programme and period schedule, Agricultural Census should be conducted decennially, i.e., to be implemented in the year ending as 6, therefore, the Second Agricultural Census will be carry out at the end of 2006. The census mainly include six aspects: a) Status of establishments in primary industry and rural household production operation, b) Circumstances related to township and town, village committee and community environment, c) Utilization of agricultural land, d) Investment in fixed assets of agriculture and rural area, e) Employment and movement of rural labor forces , and f) Living quality of farmers. These contents are determined in accordance with the national conditions of China, together with the Programme of World Agricultural Census 2010. The time reference of the census for time point data is December 31, 2006, for period data, is the whole year of 2006. To ensure the reality and reliability of the basic data, all related units and rural households within Chinese territory that are coincident to the definition of census object must fill and respond the census questionnaire according to the facts, strictly following the related regulations of the Statistical Law of the People’s Republic of China and the specific requirements of the census.

In order to reinforce the organization and guidance of census tasks, the State Council has established Leading Group of Second Agricultural Census to preside over the organization and implementation of the Census. The office of Census Leading Group founded in National Bureau of Statistics and take charge of daily organization and coordination of  the census. The outlay of Agricultural Census will be afford by both of central finance and local finance, and should be listed in corresponding annual budget of finance,  and be paid on schedule and be ensured in position.