Why record keeping is key in farming

I am a retired teacher, keeping diary crosses and growing assorted crops on my farm. I have done this for several years now, but I am unable to tell whether I am making a profit from my enterprise of selling milk and crops or not.

I know I am supposed to keep records, but I have not been consistent. What should I do to improve my record-keeping?

Joseph Oniang’o Butere

Dear Joseph, thank you for being an ardent reader of Smart Harvest and for the good question.

I can assure you that you are not in this alone; many other farmers struggle with record-keeping. But that should not be an excuse.

Many people, just like you, go into farming to make a profit but end up frustrated, not knowing whether their enterprises are worthwhile.  This is mainly due to the laziness around keeping farm records. A local saying – “what is not written disappears without a trace” – underlines the importance of record keeping.

For starters, putting everything in writing helps you as a farmer to gauge your progress. Here is a deep dive into this crucial activity.

Simply put, record keeping is the collection of all the information about activities that happen on your farm. A farm is a hive of activities all year round. There are many types of records that a farmer can keep; the main ones include production, feeding, breeding, health and financial records.

Mixed farms like Joseph’s are even busier with fauna and flora activities crossing paths. There is a time for planting seeds in the field and a time for inseminating cows. From these two examples, one will need to record several things that take place in between from the beginning to the end.

Most farmers think that records are all about money. While costs and profits are some of the major indices that are recorded and measured, other components could point to other conclusions beneficial to the farmer.

All you need is a pen and a book. Yes, it is that simple! While there are customised record templates pinned into a book, with a pen and a book, you can record all the events on the farm. Once this data is collated, it can be analysed to yield outputs that can aid the farmer in making decisions, most of them to help grow profits.

So, why should you keep records? Farming is supposed to be a commercial endeavour, where a farmer invests money and makes a profit from keeping livestock or growing crops. 

Well-kept records will help a farmer know whether they are making a profit or a loss. This is important, as it also indicates the likely solution if the latter is the case. Production and reproduction records also come in handy when looking at which animals to cull and what animals to bring onto the farm. With good records, you can get a good price for an animal by helping the buyer get a glimpse into the “unknown value” of the animal they intend to buy. If you have many animals, records help you to know your herd and, therefore, be able to understand the worth of the farm.

For those keen on improving their breeds, records will come in handy in ensuring that you have a record of performance or other good traits that you may be looking for. 

[Dr Othieno is a veterinary surgeon and the head of communications at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Kenya. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of FAO but his own]