Case study · 13

Halving Post Harvest Losses in a Smallholder Sourcing Network

Redesigning aggregation, payments and traceability roughly halved post-harvest losses and unlocked a certified export channel for an agricultural processor.

Sector: Agricultural processing
Engagement: Supply chain redesign

roughly halvedPost-harvest losses within two seasons

rose sharplyFarmer retention

unlockedCertified premium export channel

01 The Problem

The operating constraint behind the numbers

An agricultural processor sourcing from thousands of smallholder farmers lost a substantial share of purchased crop between farm gate and factory. Aggregation delays, poor handling and a cash based buying process generated spoilage, disputes and side selling in equal measure.

02 The Evidence

The evidence leadership could act on

Post-Harvest Losses Before and After

BeforeBaseline losses

After (within two seasons)Roughly halved

Source: Post harvest losses roughly halved within two seasons

03 The Kingswell Response

What changed in the management system

Village level aggregation points

The sourcing network was redesigned around village level aggregation points with basic storage and quality grading at intake.

Mobile money payment tied to graded weight

Mobile money payment tied to graded weight replaced cash, ending the disputes that drove side selling.

Lightweight traceability application

A lightweight traceability application recorded every lot from village to factory.

04 What Remained

The management system installed

Village level aggregation points with storage and quality grading at intake

Mobile money payment tied to graded weight

Lightweight traceability application recording every lot from village to factory

05 The Result

What the organisation could do next

The sourcing network was redesigned around village level aggregation points with basic storage and quality grading at intake. Mobile money payment tied to graded weight replaced cash, ending the disputes that drove side selling, and a lightweight traceability application recorded every lot from village to factory. Post harvest losses roughly halved within two seasons, farmer retention rose sharply as payment became transparent and immediate, and the traceability capability later unlocked a certified premium export channel the company had never been able to access.