Plot Management

The Plot module (agrios_plot) manages agricultural land parcels, their locations, boundaries, and associated crop information. This module enables tracking of all farming activities tied to specific geographic areas.

Overview

The Plot module provides tools to:

  • Register and manage agricultural plots

  • Record geographic boundaries and coordinates

  • Track crops and seasons per plot

  • Link plots to farmer ownership

  • Calculate and verify plot areas

  • Organize plots within an area hierarchy

Creating Plots

Registering a New Plot

To register a new plot in AgriOS:

  1. Navigate to Plots > Plots in the main menu

  2. Click Create to open a new plot form

  3. Fill in the required information:

    • Name/Code: A unique identifier for the plot

    • Farmer: The farmer who owns or manages this plot

    • Area: The geographic area where the plot is located

    • Size: Plot area in hectares or other configured unit

  4. Click Save to create the plot record

Plot Information

Each plot record contains:

  • Identification: Name, code, or reference number

  • Location: Area hierarchy (region, district, village)

  • Coordinates: GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude)

  • Boundaries: Polygon data if available

  • Size: Measured or declared area

  • Farmer: Linked farmer record

  • Status: Active, inactive, or disputed

Geographic Data

GPS Coordinates

Record plot location by:

  1. Opening the plot record

  2. Navigating to the Location tab

  3. Entering:

    • Latitude: Decimal degrees (e.g., -1.2345)

    • Longitude: Decimal degrees (e.g., 36.7890)

Coordinates can be captured in the field using mobile devices or imported from survey data.

Boundaries and Polygons

For more precise mapping, plot boundaries can be recorded as polygon data:

  • Import from KoBoToolbox surveys with GPS traces

  • Import from GIS files (if supported)

  • Manual entry of boundary coordinates

Area Calculations

Plot area can be:

  • Declared: Farmer-reported area

  • Calculated: Computed from boundary polygon

  • Verified: Confirmed through field measurement

The system can flag discrepancies between declared and calculated areas for verification.

Crop and Season Management

Recording Crops

Track what is planted on each plot:

  1. Open the plot record

  2. Go to the Crops tab

  3. Click Add a line

  4. Enter:

    • Crop Type: The commodity (e.g., coffee, cocoa, maize)

    • Season: The growing season or year

    • Planted Area: Portion of plot under this crop

    • Planting Date: When the crop was planted

    • Expected Harvest: Projected harvest date

Seasonal Tracking

Organize crop data by season:

  • Record multiple seasons per plot

  • Track yields and harvests per season

  • Compare performance across seasons

  • Link to trade/delivery records

Area Hierarchy

Plots are organized within a geographic hierarchy:

  • Country > Region > District > Village/Community

This enables:

  • Geographic filtering and reporting

  • Regional aggregations

  • Location-based searches

Managing Areas

  1. Navigate to Configuration > Areas

  2. Create areas from highest to lowest level

  3. Assign parent areas to establish hierarchy

  4. Assign plots to the appropriate area level

Farmer Linkage

Each plot is linked to a farmer:

  • A farmer can have multiple plots

  • Each plot typically has one primary farmer

  • Ownership changes can be recorded

To change plot ownership:

  1. Open the plot record

  2. Update the Farmer field

  3. Optionally record the change reason

  4. Save the changes

Viewing a Farmer’s Plots

To see all plots for a farmer:

  1. Open the farmer’s profile

  2. Click the Plots smart button

  3. View the list of associated plots

Reports and Analytics

Access plot-related reports from Plots > Reporting:

  • Plot Summary: Overview of all registered plots

  • Area Distribution: Plots by geographic region

  • Crop Distribution: Planted crops across plots

  • Size Analysis: Plot size statistics

Integration with Other Modules

The Plot module integrates with:

  • Farmers (agrios_farmer): Farmer ownership of plots

  • Trade (agrios_trade): Traceability from delivery to source plot

  • Training (agrios_training): Location-based training targeting

  • KoBoToolbox (agrios_kobo): Import plot data from field surveys

Tips and Best Practices

  • Use unique identifiers: Assign consistent plot codes for easy reference

  • Capture GPS coordinates: Always record location data when registering plots

  • Verify areas: Cross-check declared areas with calculated values

  • Keep records current: Update crop and ownership information promptly

  • Link to farmers: Ensure every plot has an associated farmer record