Who and what the project needs
Existing smallholders and experienced grower groups. Suitable seed and inputs; soil assessment; hired labour or machinery; harvest and transport allowance.
J01 · Educational project model
Seasonal food-crop production
Prepare a seasonal production plan before borrowing for seed, fertiliser or farm services. Estimate the area you can manage, the timing of cash needs and where the harvest will be sold. Ask your D-SACCO whether an approved agricultural product can accommodate the actual production and sales cycle.
How repayment or affordability should be tested
Base repayment on realistic saleable yield and net receipts after household and farm costs. Test lower prices and delayed harvest; do not assume every agricultural loan has harvest-only instalments.
Critical risks
Crop failure, counterfeit inputs, concentrated buyers and competing household needs can combine. More acreage can increase exposure faster than repayment capacity.
What to prepare
Land-use evidence; crop calendar; local input quotations; buyer information; existing debts; water and weather plan.
What to measure
Saleable output, net margin per cycle and timely repayment; separate area planted from area harvested.