PGS-India needs the location of every member's farm, and the Regional Council checks those locations in the field. This episode covers what location data the guidelines ask for, how to collect it accurately, and how to fix a wrong location on the portal.
The short version
- Each member's farm needs GPS coordinates at registration.
- The RC checks GPS locations of at least 50% of members during its inspection.
- Use one coordinate format: decimal degrees, for example 21.1702, 72.8311.
- Correct wrong points at once; a wrong digit can move a farm by kilometres.
What the Guidelines Ask For
Registration needs maps with the GPS location of each member's farm; the RC then checks a sample in the field.
- At registration, the group gives maps showing the GPS location of each member's farm, with the last year's history of inputs and practices.
- The Regional Council checks each farmer's details, including the geo-tagging of farms and mobile numbers, before approving registration.
- During its physical inspection (Format-10), the RC checks the GPS locations of at least 50% of the group's farmers, chosen at random.
The inspection form notes that where GPS details are not available for PKVY farmers, the mobile number or Aadhaar number is recorded, and the GPS details are collected by visiting the fields.
Did you know?A mistake in the fourth decimal place of a coordinate moves the point by about 11 metres; a mistake in the first decimal place moves it by about 11 kilometres.
Collecting Accurate Coordinates
Take the reading standing in the field, with location accuracy switched on, and write it in decimal degrees.
- Stand in the field.Take the reading inside the plot, not at the roadside or the farmer's house.
- Switch on high accuracy.On a phone, turn on location with high accuracy and wait a few seconds for it to settle.
- Use one format.Decimal degrees, such as 21.1702 and 72.8311. Do not mix with degrees-minutes-seconds.
- Record it with the survey number.Write the coordinates on the field form beside the survey number and farmer's name.
India lies roughly between latitude 8 and 37 degrees north and longitude 68 and 97 degrees east. A point outside that range, or with latitude and longitude swapped, is an entry error.
Checking and Fixing Locations on the Portal
Check that each point falls on the right village, and correct wrong points from the field record.
- Open each farmer's location on a map and check it falls in the right village, not on a road, river or another village.
- Compare the coordinates digit by digit with the field form. A single wrong digit can move a point by kilometres.
- Correct the entry on the farmer's land details. If you cannot edit it, ask the Regional Council.
- Keep the corrected field form on file for the RC's inspection.
Illustrative workload. At about one minute to check each farmer's point on a map, a 50-farmer cluster takes under an hour; 20 clusters take about 17 hours.
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see whether you are right, and why.
How many farmers' GPS locations does the RC check during a physical inspection?
- All of them
- At least 50%, chosen at random
- Only the group leader's
Format-10 asks the RC to check at least half the members at random.
A farm's latitude is entered as 72.83 and longitude as 21.17. What is wrong?
- Nothing
- Latitude and longitude are swapped
- The farm is abroad
For India, latitude is between about 8 and 37; longitude between about 68 and 97.
Remember these things
- Every farm needs a GPS location.
- Take readings inside the field.
- Use decimal degrees.
- Check points on a map before the RC does.
Accurate farm locations make the Regional Council's inspection quick and uneventful. KrushiFlow validates these fields and submits farmer records to the portal in bulk.