Keeping records is vital

December 2024

JANE MCPHERSON, PGP ADVISOR

AS A FARMER, YOU ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST BECAUSE YOU WOULD LIKE THE BEST POSSIBLE YIELD. AS A FARMER, YOU ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST BECAUSE YOU WOULD LIKE THE BEST POSSIBLE YIELD. KEEPING LAND RECORDS WILL ENABLE YOU TO LOOK BACK OVER A SEASON TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED.

There are some things that you can do to improve your yields, but the weather plays a very big role and farmers have no control over this.

There are a number of things that you can record. Here are some examples:

1. Lands

• What is the size of the land/field? (Keep a separate record for each different field.)
• Give each land a number or a name so that you can differentiate between them – this is also important when you do crop insurance. 
• Remember to record the date each time you do something in the field.

2. Cultivation

• Did you do your soil sampling? If yes, when did you apply the soil corrections? For example, the liming.
• How did you prepare your soil and when did you do each operation?
• On what date did you start planting and when did you finish planting?
• What cultivar did you plant?
• What plant population were you aiming for?
• What plant population did you achieve (it may be less or more than you planned)?

3. FERTILISER, TOPDRESSING AND SPRAYING

• Which fertiliser did you use and how much did you apply?
• Did you apply topdressing?
• What topdressing did you use and how much did you apply on the field?
• Did you do pre-emergence spraying (before the crop emerged, after planting)? What chemicals did you use and how much of each?
• Did you do a post-emergence spray? What chemicals did you use and how much of each?

4. HARVEST TIME

• When you harvest, how many tons did you get from this field?

The records above are the physical records of the activities in the field. You can also keep other financial records, so that at the end of the season you can calculate the gross profit you made per field. This information can assist you to compare different crops in different fields, which will enable you to make better plans to take your farming business to the next level.

The PGP team appeals to you to keep records in the future – you can use the template below. Make additional copies of the records. Keeping records is key to success.

Publication: December 2024

Section: Pula/Imvula