Recollection guide
Content
Recollection is a useful feature for data collection, but it's important to understand when and how to use it effectively. This article will cover:
What recollection is
When to recollect
Fixing plots with large areas of overlap
Fixing plots with small areas of overlap
Fixing low-quality plots
Changing data without recollection
The impact of recollection on project timelines
What is recollection
Sometimes, after a farm profile was submitted to the Local Partner Portal, you might notice that something is wrong with the plot (refer to this article for tips on identifying low-quality plots). When this happens, the plot needs to be re-tracked using the DCT app. This means that the farm profile needs to be sent back to the Data Collector's account in the DCT app and the Data Collector must revisit the farmer to correct the plot. Once the profile is sent back for recollection, it will be locked in the LP portal. This means that you cannot edit any data until the Data Collector submits the profile again.
When to recollect
When importing farmer data into DCT, you may encounter issues like GPS errors, spelling mistakes, or missing information. In some cases, the profile needs to be recollected before the farmer can join the Acorn project.
You need to recollect profiles when:
There is no (valid) Participant Agreement or Data Sharing Consent.
A farmer must sign the Participant Agreement and Data Sharing Consent to join the Acorn program. If these are missing or not confirmed in DCT, recollection is necessary to complete the farmer profile.
The plot is missing, incorrect, invalid, or overlaps with another plot.
Examples of polygons that need recollection include those that don't follow the land's natural boundaries (1), have GPS errors (2), intersecting lines (3), or overlap with other plots (4). If you cannot fix the profile from your office, delete the polygons from the LP portal, send the profile back for recollection, and have the Data Collector re-track the plot.
Continue reading this article to decide whether you can edit a plot from your office or if recollection is necessary.
You do not need to recollect profiles when:
There is a small typo in a name or address (this can be corrected directly in the LP portal).
You need to change the reference ID of the farmer or plot (this can also be changed in the LP portal).
You want to assign the farmer profile to a Data Collector without changing any data (reassignment is sufficient).
Fixing plots with a large area of overlap
Large areas of overlap can occur when two farmers claim the same piece of land. In such cases, both farmers need to be consulted to correct the boundaries. For this, a Data Collector needs to visit the neighbouring farmers and figure out the exact borders between the land. Here's what you need to do as a Local Partner:
Reassign both farmer profiles to the same Data Collector.
In the Local Partner Portal, recollect both profiles to unlock them and send them to the Data Collector’s app.
The Data Collector refreshes their DCT app while connected to the internet to receive the profiles.
The Data Collector visits the farmers and consults them to fix the overlap.
The Data Collector re-tracks the plots without overlap and submits the profiles to the Local Partner Portal.
Check the plots in the Local Partner Portal to ensure they are correct.
Large areas of overlap can also be caused by two different Data Collectors accidentally collecting the same farm's data. This can happen if a Data Collector hasn't updated their offline maps. See this article for more info on offline maps.
In this case, recollection is not necessary. Instead, check both profiles to make sure that it really is the same farmer (do both profiles have the same name, contact details and address?). If you can confirm, decide what profile you want to delete.
If one profile is enrolled, delete the other profile.
If both profiles aren't enrolled, choose the profile with the highest quality data.
Contact the Data Collectors to make sure they keep updating their offline maps.
Fixing plots with a small area of overlap
Small areas of overlap are usually caused by shared borders. This can often be fixed by the Local Partner without needing to revisit the farm. The border is usually visible from the satellite image. Here's how to fix this:
Reassign the farm profile to yourself.
Recollect the profile.
Refresh your DCT app while connected to the internet to see the profile.
Edit the plot using the satellite image as a guide to move the markers until there is no more overlap (find out how here).
Submit the updated farm profile to the Local Partner Portal.
Fixing low-quality plots
To prevent issues such as overlap, it is important that the collected data is as accurate as possible. This image shows how a low-quality polygon (white) can cause overlap if a neighbouring farm wants to join Acorn in the future (red).
Changing data without recollection
Recollection is only necessary when you need to make changes to the Participant Agreement, Data Sharing Consent, or plot. Minor changes, such as correcting spelling mistakes or updating reference IDs, can be done directly in the Local Partner Portal:
Go to the farm profile in the Local Partner Portal.
Open the 'Farm details' tab in the profile.
Click 'Edit farm data'.
Make the necessary changes and click 'Save.'
You can also change the Data Collector responsible for a farmer profile without recollection. Simply reassign the profile:
In the Local Partner Portal, navigate to the farmer profile.
Go to the 'Data Collection' section in the 'Farm details' tab and click 'Edit.'
Search for the Data Collector's name and select it.
Click 'Save.'
The impact of recollection on project timelines
Recollection can delay the project, especially if it wasn’t included in the original timeline. The delay depends on how many plots need recollecting. While it's ideal to avoid recollection, it is often necessary, so it's important to plan for this possibility when creating the project timeline.