LACIE sampling design

The sampling design in LACIE consisted of two major components, one for wheat acreage estimation and one for wheat yield prediction. The acreage design was basically a classical survey for which the sampling unit was a 5- by 6-nautical mile segment; however, there were complications caused by measurement errors and loss of data. Yield was predicted by sampling meteorological data from weather stations within a region and then using those data as input to previously fitted regression equations. Wheat production was not estimated directly, but was computed by multiplying yield and acreage estimates. The allocation of samples to countries is discussed as well as the allocation and selection of segments in strata/substrata.