Set up a digital farming diary for the farm
Digital farming diary helps farms track costs, supplies, weather, pests, labor and harvest quality for each batch. Doing it right from the beginning will make it easier to control risks and trace the origin.
Summary: Digital farming diaries don't need to start with complicated software. It is important that the farm has a minimum set of data that can be entered every day and can be looked up when decisions need to be made. Recording correctly from the beginning of the season helps know which batches use fertilizers, which batches are prone to pests, where costs are increasing, and whether the quality of the harvest is related to previous care methods.
Applies to: Farms, cooperatives, production groups or households with many farming plots.
Duration: Initial setup in 1-3 days, then updates with each operation.
Difficulty level: Basic. The hardest thing is to maintain a regular recording habit.
Estimated additional costs: Can start with Google Sheets, Excel or an existing note-taking application.
Why should you have a digital farming diary
Many farms still keep fragmentary records: partly in books, partly in messages, partly in the manager's head. This method can be used temporarily when the area is small, but it is difficult to control when the farm is divided into many plots, has workers, uses many types of materials and sells according to standards.
Digital farming diary helps:
- Know the true cost per batch, not just the total cost at the end of the season.
- Track used supplies: name, dosage, date of use, person.
- Have traceability data when selling to businesses or cooperatives.
- Compare effectiveness between batches, varieties, and seasons.
- Look back at pests and weather to learn lessons for the next crop.
The goal is not to record a lot. The goal is to record enough that is useful for technical and economic decisions.
Split lots before recording
The diary will be confused immediately if the farm has not been clearly divided into plots. Each batch should have its own code, easy to read and stable for many seasons.
Minimum information of a batch:
| Data field | Example |
|---|---|
| Batch code | A01, A02, West Area 1 |
| Area | 0.5 ha, 1 ha |
| Crop/variety | OM5451 rice, Ri6 durian, TR4 coffee |
| Plant age or sowing date | 3 years, May 12, 2026 |
| Density | 1,100 trees/ha, 80 kg of seeds/ha |
| Person in charge | Mr. A, care team number 2 |
Do not change batch names continuously. When the batch name is stable, data from many batches can be compared.
What should be recorded for each operation
For each batch work, record at least:
- Implementation date.
- Applicable lot.
- Job content.
- Used supplies.
- Dose or quantity.
- Labor or machinery.
- Weather at work.
- Scene photos if available.
- Results after 3-7 days if treating pests or restoring plants.
Example of a good line:
| Date | Lot | Jobs | Materials | Dosage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20 | A01 | Handling leafhoppers | Drug X | by label | hoppers gathered on the shore, took 3 photos |
The important point is to write in the same structure. If each person writes a different type, filtering the data will be very difficult at the end.
The list of materials must be consistent
A very common error is that the same type of material is recorded under many different names. For example: "NPK 16-16-8", "16.16.8", "division 16", "NPK Binh Dien" may be split into multiple lines in the report.
You should create a separate list of materials:
- Trade name.
- Group of supplies: fertilizers, crop-protection products, biological products, materials.
- Active ingredients or main ingredients, if any.
- Unit: kg, liter, package, bag.
- Supplier.
- Purchase price.
When entering logs, select from a menu instead of typing freely. If you use Google Sheets, you can create a drop-down list for users to quickly select.
Record pests in a beneficial way
Do not just write "has pests" or "has been sprayed". Need to write enough to know the cause and treatment effect.
For pests and diseases, write:
- Symptoms: yellow leaves, root rot, leaf spots, leafhoppers, leaf rollers.
- Number or level: mild, moderate, severe; or number of children/m2 if any.
- Location: bank edge, middle of lot, low-lying area, near ditch.
- Handling measures.
- Image before processing.
- Results after 3-7 days.
If a batch gets sick repeatedly, the log will show that the problem may lie with the soil, water, variety, density or care, not just a lack of treatment.
Record harvest and quality
The harvesting stage needs to be recorded separately, because this is the time to compare the technique with the proceeds.
Information should include:
- Harvest date.
- Harvest lot.
- Output.
- Type of goods: type 1, type 2, drifted goods, rejected goods.
- Rejection rate.
- Selling price.
- Buyer.
- Shipping costs, labor, packaging.
- Quality feedback if any.
When this data is available, the farm will know which batches have high costs but low quality, which batches have little pest treatment but still achieve good yields, thereby adjusting the process for the next crop.
Simple implementation
No need to build a large system from the beginning. Can follow three steps:
First week: make a basic table
Create 4 sheets:
- Batch list.
- Work diary.
- Material list.
- Harvest and sales.
Enter only the minimum fields for familiarization.
Week 2-4: standardize input
Unify material names, batch names, units of measurement and weather recording. Add images using folder links if necessary.
After 1 month: see report
Watch every week:
- Which lot costs the most.
- Which lot treats the most pests and diseases?
- Which lot uses unusually much water or fertilizer?
- Which lot has slow growth?
If an unusual number appears, check the lot before deciding to add fertilizer or spray.
Checklist of minimum data
- [ ] Lot code and area of each lot.
- [ ] Working date and person.
- [ ] Operation name: watering, fertilizing, spraying, pruning, harvesting.
- [ ] Materials, dosage and costs.
- [ ] Unusual weather or events.
- [ ] Scene photo with date and lot name.
- [ ] Results after processing.
- [ ] Yield, product classification and selling price.
Mistakes to avoid
Entering too many fields from the first day: people will find it difficult to enter and will quit after a few weeks.
Only write down the cost: know how much it costs but don't know how the tree reacts, whether pests or diseases are reduced or not.
Do not attach images to lot and date: many images but cannot be used when comparing.
Let each person write one type: data at the end of the season cannot be filtered, reported incorrectly.
Wait until the end of the season to re-enter: most data will be incorrect, especially dosage, weather and post-treatment results.