What growth stages are
Growth stages are milestones you record during a crop cycle — points in the crop's development that are worth documenting. They create a farm diary that helps you compare seasons, identify problems early, and demonstrate crop progress to buyers or offtake partners.
Common growth stages by crop type
Grains (maize, soya, rice): Germination, Vegetative growth, Flowering, Grain fill, Maturity
Root crops (cassava, yam): Establishment, Canopy closure, Tuber initiation, Bulking, Pre-harvest
Vegetables (tomatoes, pepper): Transplanting, First flowering, First fruit set, Peak production, End of season
How to record a growth stage
- Open the crop cycle
- Click + Record growth stage
- Select the stage from the dropdown or type a custom stage name
- Enter the date
- Add any observations — e.g. "Pest pressure noted on 20% of stand", "Good germination — approximately 90%", "Applied second round of fertiliser"
- Upload a photograph if you have one
- Click Save
How growth stage records are used
Your growth stage diary is visible on the crop cycle summary page. Offtake buyers and cooperatives may ask to see it as evidence of good agronomic practice. It also helps you compare performance season-to-season — if your yield is lower this year, the growth stage diary may reveal that you had a pest outbreak or a late planting that explains the difference.