Collecting Farm Data at Scale

THE PROBLEM

A research organisation needed to collect in-season data from farms across England.

Their existing approach relied on a mix of spreadsheets, forms, and email submissions. 

This created several issues:

• Data was inconsistent and difficult to validate

• Farmers experienced different formats and processes

• There was no clear visibility of who had completed submissions

• Reporting required manual consolidation

As the programme expanded to include a larger network of farms, these challenges became harder to manage.

THE REQUIREMENT

• A simple, mobile-friendly way for farmers to submit data

• A centralised system to store and validate responses

• Visibility across a network of participating farms

• A secure, authenticated environment

• A system that could scale as the programme expands

THE APPROACH

A structured data collection workflow was implemented using YAGRO Exchange.

• Surveys are configured to match the programme requirements

• Farmers submit data through a mobile-friendly interface

• Submissions are validated and stored in a central system

• Progress is tracked in real time across all participating farms

• Communications are managed through built-in email functionality

The system is designed and deployed within a one-month window, aligned to seasonal programme timelines.

Exchange replaces disconnected tools with a single, controlled environment for data collection and review

THE OUTCOME

• One platform replaces spreadsheets, forms, and email

• Farmers submit data more consistently, from any device

• Programme managers can track participation in real time

• Data validation becomes structured and repeatable

• Reporting is significantly faster to produce and easier to spot trends and insights

• The organisation retains full control over workflows and communication

THE IMPACT

Data collection moved from:

• fragmented to structured

• manual to validated

• unclear to visible

The result was not more data, but usable data.