3. MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1. Material
This paper is based on:
S Four researchs and previous research carried out by the same authors (J. Loring
et al, 1993, C.R. Garcia et al. 1997, L. Fernandez et al., 2003 and Perez, P.P. et
at. 2003)
S The design of an information system.
The first three researchs were funded by the Department of Agriculture of the
Andalusian Regional Government -Consejeria de Agricultura y Pesca de la Junta de Andalucia-,
consisting in three big surveys during the years 1991, 1994 and 1999 (the latest one has been
realized with the Instituto de Estadistica de Andalucia). In the first one, 1,527 farms were
surveyed, 1,530 in the second one and 2,018 in the third and last one. With these surveys we get
data of all types of farming and livestock.
The fourth one was funded by La General (one of the savings bank in Spain). The survey
was made only in Jaen province1 and 392 farms were surveyed corresponding to 2000 crop year.
The questionaires were designed to reflect a clear image of the financial and economic
situation of each farm, considering the results account. With the information obtained we are
able to describe quite accurate and valid images of the socioeconomic structure of the olive trees
plantations in Andalusia in the nineties.
The first of these projects set the bases for the following ones, defining terms as
important as the elemental structure of sampling design in the different polls and the basic
survey. In the second project a precursor information system, AGRO, was designed and
developed, where normalized tables for data base were designed and developed and
socioeconomic principles of the agrarian farms surveyed were established. At the same time, the
strengths and debilities of the sample design were outlined as well as of the survey form, of the
quality criteria of the answers and of the computer system. Starting with this information it has
been created AGROS, a new information system, a computer tool that can determine the
compared evolution of the socioeconomic structure of real agrarian farms surveyed at different
moments since 1991. This comaparative analysis can be carried out considering activities, yield
and with the province as the geographical base. It is also useful in the design and table settings
1 Pérez, P.P. (2003), I Anuario Agrario de la provincia de Jaén.