Use agricultural data with care and measure results clearly
Farm information can improve services and learning when people understand why it is collected, how it is protected, and what the evidence can and cannot show.
Design around people and a clear purpose
A digital agriculture service may handle contact details, farm locations, crop and livestock information, service requests, transactions, or monitoring data. Before collecting information, explain the purpose in plain language, what is required or optional, who may see it, whether it will be shared, how long it may be kept, and how a person can ask a question or request a correction. Make the explanation accessible to the people using the service.
Collect only what is needed for the stated purpose. Restrict access to people who need it, protect devices and accounts, avoid publishing identifiable farm or household information without a suitable basis and clear permission, and set a process for correcting, retaining, archiving, or deleting records. Apply Agronah’s privacy policy and the laws and agreements that govern the particular activity.
Follow the data through its life cycle
Plan
Write down the purpose, data fields, expected benefit, potential harm, responsible team, access roles, and retention plan before collection begins.
Explain and collect
Use plain language. Ask only for needed information. Record data consistently and provide a way to correct errors. Do not treat unclear or uninformed agreement as meaningful consent.
Protect and use
Limit access, use secure accounts and storage, and share only what is appropriate for the purpose. When analysis does not require identity, remove or separate identifiers where feasible.
Review and close
Check data quality, follow the retention schedule, and archive or delete information as planned. Reassess the purpose before using data in a new way.
Separate activities, outputs, outcomes, and impact
These terms describe different levels of a results story. Defining them consistently helps farmers, partners, and funders understand what has been measured.
| Level | Question | Example for an advisory service |
|---|---|---|
| Activity | What did the team do? | Provide a demonstration or advisory session. |
| Output | What immediate service or product was delivered? | Number of farmers reached, with a clear definition of “reached.” |
| Outcome | What changed for participants or their practices? | Farmers who report or demonstrate using the relevant advice. |
| Impact | What longer-term change is sought? | Changes in productivity, losses, market access, income opportunity, or resilience, measured with an appropriate method. |
A change observed after a service is delivered does not, by itself, prove the service caused that change. Weather, prices, other support, and participant differences can also matter. Report the period, coverage, method, missing data, and limitations alongside the result.
Create a clear indicator definition
For each measure, document its name, plain-language definition, unit, who is included, data source, starting point or baseline, frequency, responsible person, verification check, and any disaggregation needed to understand who benefits. For example, define whether “farmers reached” means a registration, a completed advisory interaction, or attendance at a session; do not switch definitions between reports without explaining the change.
Make monitoring, reporting, and verification useful
- Measurement: collect the agreed information using consistent definitions and suitable methods.
- Reporting: explain the result, who and what it covers, the period, and the method in language readers can understand.
- Verification: check a sample of records or source evidence, document corrections, and disclose what could not be verified.
Invite farmers and community partners to review findings and explain whether the interpretation matches their experience. Share aggregate results where possible, and protect personal details.
Further learning
- CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture: Guiding Principles — practical guidance across data planning, collection, use, sharing, and retention.
- FAO: Principles for socially inclusive digital tools for smallholder farmers — emphasizes farmer relevance, inclusion, and responsible use of digital tools.
- Agronah Privacy Policy — Agronah’s current privacy information.
This guide provides general learning information; it does not replace applicable privacy law, data-sharing agreements, research ethics review, or professional advice.