KENYA · GUIDE 0001 · EDITION 4.2
Sukuma Wiki Farming Risks and Pilot Launch Checklist
Define a pilot that can reveal the main failure
The first pilot should test one manageable bed and a reachable buyer arrangement. It should establish whether suitable leaves can reach the agreed handover point and produce collected revenue after attributable costs. It cannot establish year-round performance from a single growing period.
Use specific stop and review triggers
| Risk | Evidence to monitor | Decision to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Water interruption | Source access, interruption record and workable watering capacity | Defer additional planting if the current bed cannot be supported |
| Pest or crop-health problem | Dated observations and competent diagnosis | Isolate the affected decision and seek qualified advice |
| Crushing or delayed handover | Condition at dispatch versus condition accepted | Revise packing or route before adding stops |
| Unsold-stock returns | Delivered, accepted, returned and paid quantities | Change order size or return terms |
| Late customer payment | Amount due, due date and actual collection | Limit further credit using an affordable written threshold |
These are planning controls, not proof that a particular site is suitable or that a specific treatment will work. Use competent crop advice for diagnosis and the PCPB route for product-registration questions. WRA is the official enquiry route for abstraction permitting.
Stage the launch by evidence, not a fixed promise
First obtain the buyer specification and confirm land, water and applicable requirements. Next obtain site-appropriate advice and quotations, prepare the bed and records, and test the handling format. Carry out planting and crop work according to the suitable production plan. Trial deliveries when a suitable harvest is actually available. Crop development is not shortened to fit a 30-day marketing calendar.
Review the complete operating cycle
After the initial selling period, reconcile inputs, owner labour, transport, discarded material, returned stock, collected cash and unpaid balances. Decide separately whether to continue the crop plan, the packing format, the customer agreement and the route. A successful crop with an uncollectable buyer balance is not the same outcome as a profitable and paid delivery system.
Set the maximum loss before the trial begins. Expand only the part whose evidence supports it, and retain enough resources to meet existing commitments. Do not describe an untested plot or a planned pilot as a farmer success story.