The Data Collector role
Content
This article will discuss the following topics:
What do you do as a data collector?
Farmer engagement
What data will you collect?
Using the DCT App
Ensuring data quality
What do you do as a data collector?
As data collector, you work together with your local partner to onboard farmers. You make all necessary preparations for collection, know how to engage with farmers, and are capable of using the DCT app to collect high-quality data.
As a data collector, you are the backbone of collection and the largest influencer of data quality.
Farmer engagement
As a data collector you will most likely be the first point of contact for the farmer. You must then be able to explain all concepts surrounding Acorn as well as the requirements and commitments of the program. Skills surrounding this varies from catching and keeping a farmers attention, to answering complex questions they may have.
Skills the data collector must possess:
Know how to approach a farmer and keep their attention.
The data collector must understand and know how to explain the following:
What is the Acorn program?
What is climate change and how does if effect farmers?
What is carbon and how does it relate to climate change?
What is agroforestry?
How can Acorn help facilitate agroforestry?
As a data collector you must understand and know how to explain all requirements, expectations and rights of the farmer:
Which farmers are eligible for Acorn?
What obligations must you abide to follow the Acorn program?
What can the farmer expect from Acorn?
What can the farmer expect from the Local Partner?
What is the participant agreement?
What is the data sharing consent? | What data does Acorn use and how?
What data will you collect?
The DCT App is fully integrated in the ACORN Program, this means all data you collect is necessary for participation in the program. This ranges from legal contracts to plot information.
Data you will collect:
Participation criteria
Farmer information (e.g. name and village)
Contact information (e.g. address and phone number)
Contracts (The participant agreement and data sharing consent)
Land information (E.g. land use, crops
Polygons and plot information
Using the DCT App
The app is meant to guide you through the process and get the correct data the first time. With the DCT App it is possible to collect data offline, collect polygons, see overlapping plots and edit them if necessary. Once there is internet, you can submit the data to your local partner.
Ensuring data quality
As mentioned before, as data collector you ensure data quality. What good data is differs per project.
Data quality - polygons
Polygons are the shape of the tracked plot. The quality of polygon data varies largely. This can have to do with multiple factors like GPS inaccuracy or wrong use of the app.
But first, what is a good quality polygon?
A good quality polygon is a shape that accurately represents a farm.
Remember, only the area of the polygon will me used for measurements. If the polygon is smaller then the actual farm, they lose the risk of having inaccurate measurements. If the polygon is larger, this will have consequences as well. For more information see the article on polygon quality.
Data quality - Acorn Contracts
With the Acorn project you will collect legal documents: the Data Sharing Consent and the Participant Agreement. These can both be collected digitally or on paper. Having the correct document properly imported and organized is an important part of collection. For more information see the article on Acorn contracts.
Data quality - Farmer Details
Farm address
Many fields in the DCT app regarding address is optional. This is due to the fact that many countries use different systems. It is still very important to gather all information if it is available to you. Please refer to your local partner to see what good quality data looks like for your project.
Farm Contact Information
Be it for farmer pay-outs or planning a seedling drop, it is important to be able to reach your farmers. When collecting farm profiles make sure the correct phone number or email is collected.