About this module
Precision agriculture means measuring your farm, recording what you do, testing before you apply, and treating each part of the field by what it needs. Most of it needs only a notebook, a phone and good habits. Every unit ends with a practical task and homework.
Who it is for. Beginners with no formal certificate, many with only a basic phone. The level is National Proficiency I, where a trainee does routine tasks under close supervision.
What it is. Ghanaian researchers describe precision farming as combining GPS, remote sensing, yield mapping and other tools for site-specific crop management. For a small farm, the realistic parts are records, phone GPS, soil tests, weather and advice messages, and pest apps.
Why it matters. Ghanaian maize farmers' measured yields averaged 1.4 tonnes a hectare, against a potential of 5.5. Measuring and recording shows where the gap is.
This is not an accredited CTVET programme. No precision-agriculture or agro-drone qualification is on CTVET's approved list; the closest at National Proficiency I is Agriculture Mechanisation. This module follows CTVET's published format only.
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent by being watched at work, answering questions, and showing your logbook. About 70% of the time is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme, which uses about 30% in school and 70% at the workplace.
Unit 1 · Work safely and respect farmers' data
New tools bring new dangers: spray drift, drone blades, and farmers' private information. Learn the rules first.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Stay safe in the field | wears PPE near spraying; keeps clear of drones |
| 1.2 Know the drone rules | states that drones need GCAA registration and a permit |
| 1.3 Protect data | asks consent before recording a farmer's details; keeps records safe |
Range. Fields, spraying, drones, farmer records. Evidence. Observation; oral questions.
Spraying
In a study of Ghanaian vegetable farmers, 92% used knapsack sprayers, but only 16% wore full protection and 46% wore none. Pesticide drift has been linked to farmers' breathing illness. Stay out of the field during spraying, and wear PPE if you must be near it.
Drones
In Ghana, no one may fly a drone without registering it with the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and holding a permit. Registration needs ID, a short safety course, an inspection and fees. Flights must stay in sight of the pilot and below 400 feet. Flying for hire needs a commercial operator certificate held by a registered company. Flying in a no-fly zone needs extra clearance. Stand well away from a drone that is taking off, landing or spraying.
Data
Ghana's Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) says personal information must be collected lawfully, for a stated purpose, kept accurate and kept secure, and people have the right to see and correct it. Organisations that collect personal data must register with the Data Protection Commission. A farmer's name, phone number and farm map are personal information: ask before you record them, say why, and keep them safe. Ghanaian farmers need training in data security.
Right or wrong?
(1) Kofi buys a drone and starts spraying neighbours' farms for money. (2) Ama records farmers' names and phone numbers for a training list, after explaining why. (3) Yaw stands under a drone to watch it spray. (4) A company shares farmers' farm maps with a buyer without asking.
Consent form
Write a short consent statement in plain words that you would read to a farmer before recording their name, phone number and farm boundary. Practise reading it to a partner.
Ask a sprayer
Ask a farmer who sprays chemicals what protection they wear. Write what they said.
Unit 2 · Keep farm records
You can't improve what you don't measure. Records are the foundation of precision farming.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Know what to record | lists the records a farm needs |
| 2.2 Keep records | records inputs, labour, rain, pests and harvest on the day |
| 2.3 Use records | works out cost, yield and profit from records |
Range. Paper notebook or phone spreadsheet; crops and plots. Evidence. A month of records; sums in the logbook.
Why records matter
Record keeping is common on large farms in Ghana but rare on small ones. The Farmer Business School, used in Ghana with cocoa farmers, teaches farmers to record production costs and work out profit per crop; evaluations report much higher yields afterwards. Fewer than half of Ghanaian farmers applied fertiliser at the recommended rate, mainly for lack of money: records show where money goes.
What to record
| Record | Example |
|---|---|
| Plot and area | Plot B, 0.5 acre (measured) |
| Date and job | 3 May, weeding |
| Crop and variety | Maize, local |
| Inputs | 1 bag NPK, GH¢ price |
| Labour | 2 people × 1 day, GH¢ cost |
| Rain | 12 mm |
| Pests seen | Fall armyworm, 5 plants in 20 |
| Harvest | 6 bags |
| Sales | 4 bags × GH¢ price |
(Example layout for practice.)
A month of records
- Draw a record page for your plot, using the table headings.
- Every time anything happens on the plot, write it down that day.
- At the end of the month, add up costs.
- Show your records to your trainer each week.
Records at home
If your family farms, start a record page for one plot. Record everything for two weeks.
Unit 3 · Measure and map a field
Most farmers guess their farm size, and guesses are often far off. A phone can measure it.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Walk the boundary | walks a field boundary with the farmer and records it with phone GPS |
| 3.2 Check accuracy | knows when phone GPS is unreliable and checks with a tape |
| 3.3 Convert units | converts between acres and hectares; records local units separately |
Range. Open fields and fields under trees. Evidence. Measured areas; observation.
How accurate is a phone?
A phone's GPS is usually accurate to about 5 metres in open sky, and worse near buildings and trees. In Ghanaian and Ivorian cocoa farms under trees, phones often showed errors of 16 to 32 metres. In the Western Region's tree-covered farms, check with a tape.
Guesses vs measuring
West African farmers' guesses of their field size were off by 14% to 171% in one study. Small fields tend to be over-estimated and large fields under-estimated.
How to measure
Walk the boundary with the farmer, so you both mean the same plot. Ask the farmer's estimate before and after measuring. Farmers often include a neighbouring piece by mistake.
Units
- 1 acre ≈ 0.405 hectares; 1 hectare ≈ 2.47 acres.
- Most Ghanaian farmers use acres; some use poles. A pole is based on arm-spans and varies from community to community, about 0.4–0.9 acre. Never use a fixed pole conversion: measure in acres or hectares and write the local pole size separately.
Convert
(1) 3 acres = how many hectares? (2) 2 hectares = how many acres? (3) A farmer says her farm is "4 poles". Why can't you convert that without measuring?
Measure two fields
- Ask the farmer to estimate each plot's size. Record it.
- Walk the boundary with the farmer, recording it on the phone app (stand still a moment at each corner).
- For a small rectangular plot, also measure length and width with a tape and multiply.
- Compare: farmer's guess, phone, tape. Record all three and say which you trust and why.
Measure at home
Measure a garden, compound or plot at home with a tape (length × width). Convert to square metres and acres.
Unit 4 · Test the soil
Most Western Region soils are acidic. A soil test tells you what your soil needs, so you don't waste money on the wrong fertiliser.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Take a sample | takes a proper composite soil sample and labels it |
| 4.2 Send it | knows where to send samples in Ghana |
| 4.3 Read results | reads pH and nutrient results in simple terms |
Range. Crop fields and tree crops. Evidence. Labelled sample; reading of a test report.
Taking a sample
CRIG scientists sampling cocoa farms in Jomoro took 10–20 cores per depth (0–15 cm and 15–30 cm), mixed them in a clean plastic bucket, and took one sample from the mix, bagged and labelled. Walk in a zig-zag across the field, scrape off leaves first, and mix well; about 500 g goes to the lab. Use 0–15 cm for seasonal crops.
Where to test
- CSIR-Soil Research Institute, Kwadaso, Kumasi, tests pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and more.
- MoFA extension officers have said they lack testing equipment; farmers use CSIR, university or private labs.
- A private in-field test cost about GH¢400 for up to 4 acres in 2025.
What Western Region soils are like
About 80% of Western Region soils are acidic, with pH mostly below 5, and low in phosphorus; lime is hard to get and costly. Cocoa farms in Jomoro had a pH of about 4.9, low organic matter and low phosphorus, and the soils are about 70% sand, so nutrients wash out.
Reading a result simply: pH below about 5.5 means acid soil that may need lime; low P, low K or low organic matter mean those need adding. Ask the lab or your extension officer what rate to use.
Fertiliser by place
MoFA's general recommendation for cereals is NPK 15-20-20 with zinc at 300 kg a hectare. But maize responded differently from place to place, so recommendations should differ by area. That is precision agriculture: test, then apply what your soil needs.
Take a soil sample
- Walk a zig-zag across a plot, scraping off leaves at each stop.
- Take 15 cores to 15 cm deep; mix them in a clean bucket.
- Take about 500 g, bag it and label: farm, plot, depth, date, crop.
- Record where you sampled in your logbook.
- If possible, send it to a lab and read the report with your trainer.
Ask about soil
Ask an extension officer or experienced farmer whether soils near you are acid, and what they do about it.
Unit 5 · Use weather and advice services
Knowing when rain will come helps you plant, spray and harvest at the right time. Ghana has weather and advice services you can use on any phone.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Get forecasts | finds the GMet seasonal and daily forecast for the area |
| 5.2 Use advice services | knows how to get weather and farming advice by SMS or voice |
| 5.3 Measure rain and moisture | reads a rain gauge daily; does the soil feel test |
Range. Basic phones and smartphones. Evidence. A rain record; forecast notes.
Ghana's services
- GMet issues seasonal forecasts of when rains start and stop, and dry spells. Its WIDS service gives local forecasts by web, audio and USSD in Twi, Ewe, Hausa, French and English.
- GMet and MoFA make district forecasts, cropping calendars and advice under the Food Systems Resilience Programme.
- Esoko sends prices, weather and advice by SMS and voice in local languages. Farmers in the Upper West found phone weather and market information very useful, but complained about unclear or complicated messages, cost and poor network.
- Farmerline sends voice messages in local languages.
Rain gauge and soil feel
Your fingers and a rain gauge are the minimum tools for checking water. FAO's feel test: squeeze soil into a ball and press it between thumb and finger; dry soil won't hold together, moist soil forms a ball, wet soil leaves water on your hand.
Rain and forecast diary
- Set up a rain gauge in the open, away from trees and roofs.
- Read it every morning at the same time; record mm and empty it.
- Each week, check the GMet forecast for your district and write it down.
- Twice a week, do the soil feel test and record dry, moist or wet.
- After a month, compare forecasts with your rain record.
Try a service
Try one weather or advice service on your own phone (GMet, Esoko or Farmerline). Write what you got and whether it was useful.
Unit 6 · Spot pests with a phone
Free apps can help identify pests and diseases. They are good helpers, not perfect experts.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Scout | walks a field in a pattern and checks plants for damage |
| 6.2 Use an app | photographs damage and uses a pest app correctly |
| 6.3 Report | records findings and reports serious pests to the extension officer |
Range. Maize, cassava and vegetables. Evidence. Scouting record; app results.
Fall armyworm
Fall armyworm reached Ghana in 2016 and attacks maize most. In 2017 MoFA set up surveillance, awareness campaigns and spraying teams.
The apps
- PlantVillage Nuru is free, works offline on Android, and identifies fall armyworm damage.
- In a cassava study in Kenya and Tanzania, Nuru was right 65% of the time, better than extension agents (40–58%) and farmers (18–31%); using six leaves raised it to 74–88%. It was poor on mild symptoms.
- FAMEWS, FAO's free app, records scouting and trap data; FAO and MoFA have trained extension officers to use it.
Lesson: photograph several leaves, and confirm serious problems with an extension officer.
Scouting with an app
- Walk a W pattern across a maize or vegetable plot; stop at 20 plants.
- Record any damage on each plant.
- For any damage, photograph six leaves and run them through the app.
- Record the app's answer and your own guess; show both to your trainer.
Help a farmer
With permission, scout a neighbour's crop with the app and tell them what you found.
Unit 7 · Drones, data and decisions
Drones and satellites are coming to Ghanaian farms. But the most useful tool is still your own numbers.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Understand drones | explains what farm drones do and the rules for using them |
| 7.2 Analyse records | works out yield per acre, cost per bag and profit |
| 7.3 Decide | compares two plots and recommends a change |
Range. Drone services; farm records. Evidence. Analysis sums; a written recommendation.
Drones in Ghana
- In June 2026, MoFA gave five agricultural drones to the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana for monitoring, early pest detection and mapping.
- KNUST has a drone unit and has trained young people as agricultural drone pilots.
- Flying Labs Ghana trained 17 people on spraying and mapping drones in 2020; only 2 were women.
At this level, use a registered drone service rather than flying yourself (Unit 1). Any pesticide sprayed, by drone or knapsack, must be registered with the Environmental Protection Authority.
Using your numbers
- Yield per acre = harvest ÷ measured area.
- Cost per bag = total costs ÷ bags harvested.
- Profit = sales − costs.
Compare plots: in maize trials in Ghana, adding sulphur to NPK gave about 0.7 tonnes a hectare more than NPK alone. Small trials on your own farm show what works on your soil.
Which plot did better?
Plot A: 0.5 acre, harvested 6 bags, costs GH¢900. Plot B: 0.75 acre, harvested 7 bags, costs GH¢1,000. Bags sell at GH¢400. (1) Yield per acre for each? (2) Cost per bag? (3) Profit? (4) Which plot did better, and what would you check next?
Plot comparison
- Using your Unit 2 records and Unit 3 areas, work out yield per acre, cost per bag and profit for two plots (or use the trainer's example data).
- Write a short recommendation: what would you change next season, and why?
- If possible, watch a demonstration by a registered drone service and write what it can do.
Your recommendation
Using any records from home, write one change your family could test on part of a farm next season, and how you would measure the result.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Composite sample | Soil from many spots mixed into one sample |
| Competent / Not Yet Competent | The two possible results of a CBT assessment |
| Drone (RPAS) | A remotely piloted aircraft |
| GCAA | Ghana Civil Aviation Authority |
| GPS | Satellite positioning, used by phones to find location |
| pH | How acid or alkaline soil is; below 7 is acid |
| Pole | A local land unit that varies between communities |
| Precision agriculture | Measuring and treating each part of a farm by what it needs |
| Scouting | Walking a field to check for pests and problems |
Logbook
Copy these pages into an exercise book. Your logbook is part of your assessment evidence.
- Unit 1: consent statement
- Unit 2: one month of farm records
- Unit 3: measured areas (guess, phone, tape)
- Unit 4: soil sample label and location; test report notes
- Unit 5: daily rain record; forecasts; soil feel results
- Unit 6: scouting record with app results
- Unit 7: plot analysis and recommendation
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- What do you need before flying a drone in Ghana?
- Why must you ask before recording a farmer's details?
- Name five things to record on a farm.
- How accurate is phone GPS in open sky? Under trees?
- Why can't you use a fixed conversion for poles?
- How many acres in a hectare?
- How do you take a composite soil sample?
- What is the soil like in most of the Western Region?
- Name two weather or advice services in Ghana.
- How do you make a pest app more accurate?
- What is the formula for yield per acre?
- Why should a beginner hire a drone service rather than fly one?
Further reading and sources
Best next reads: the GCAA drone registration guide; IFDC's fertiliser policy briefs for Ghana; GMet's seasonal forecasts.
What this module does not cover: flying drones, satellite image analysis, variable-rate machinery, and official lime-rate tables (ask the lab).
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.