China is gearing up preparations for the second national agriculture census scheduled to take off on January 1 next year. The census, biggest of its kind ever conducted in the world, is expected to employ as many as seven million workers.

"All relevant departments have been faithfully doing their duties and given great support to the census," a spokesperson for the State Council office in charge of the census told Xinhua Wednesday.

For example, he said, the Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission have been very supportive in the allocation of funds and procurement of equipment.

The State Council has also issued a decree on national agriculture census, which has already taken effect in August.

The training of millions of non-professional investigators have also begun.

Contents of the census will include details of households and businesses engaged in agriculture, environmental situation in the countryside, the use of agricultural land, fixed asset investment in agriculture, the situation of employment in rural areas and the quality of life for farmers.

It is estimated that some 30,000 townships, 600,000 villages and more than 200 million rural households will be covered in the census.

China's first national agriculture census was conducted in 1996.

Since then, great development and changes have taken place in the countryside, the spokesperson said.

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, head of the cabinet office in charge of the census, said the census will lay the foundation for China's bid to deal with the agriculture issues and build the socialist new countryside.

(Xinhua News Agency November 2, 2006)