KENYA · GUIDE 0001 · EDITION 4.2
Harvesting and Delivering Sukuma Wiki: Quality Control Plan
Control the journey from bed to accepted delivery
A growing plot becomes a business only when acceptable leaves reach a paying buyer. Design the record so that harvested weight, saleable packed output, accepted deliveries and returns remain separate. This makes it possible to locate losses instead of blaming every poor result on the selling price.
Identify the harvest lot
Give each bed a simple reference linked to planting source and establishment date. At picking, record bed reference, date, people involved and the quantity harvested. Maintain the crop-management record separately, including any advice or product-use record relevant to harvest decisions. A harvest identifier should connect the delivered lot to that history without exposing customer personal data.
Sort against the buyer's written specification
Agree leaf size, condition, stem inclusion and bunch or weight basis beforehand. Remove unacceptable material and record the rejected quantity before converting the remaining leaves into sale units. Ask the kiosk attendant to unpack a trial crate and identify crushing before signing off the count. A quantity recorded while still in the field is not proof of acceptance at the shop.
Test packing and the route together
| Stage | Record | Investigate when |
|---|---|---|
| Sorting | Harvested and packed weights | The saleable share changes materially |
| Loading | Bunch count, crate identifier and buyer allocation | Orders and loaded quantities differ |
| Handover | Accepted quantity, time and exception | A buyer rejects condition or count |
| End of route | Returns, cash, balance and empty crates | Stock or money does not reconcile |
Keep leaves protected from avoidable crushing and delays during the trial. Determine suitable handling arrangements with competent local advice. This page does not establish a universal shelf life, washing protocol or food-safety certification.
Change the operation based on the loss point
If rejection occurs before loading, investigate the field and sorting decision. If leaves are acceptable at dispatch but rejected on arrival, investigate packing, load arrangement and delay. If the buyer accepts stock but returns unsold leaves the following day, review order size and return terms. These are different failures and should not be hidden inside one wastage percentage.
Add plot area or delivery stops only after the record shows that accepted quantities, quality and payment can be maintained. The World Vegetable Center's Kenya manual is a source route for crop-production learning; site-specific agronomy still requires local assessment.