Tool Kit 1: Sourcing Raw Materials

This toolkit outlines practical guidance for sourcing raw materials within small-scale processing systems, focusing on ensuring consistent supply, quality, and cost efficiency. It explains how to determine material requirements using records and staff input to avoid production interruptions, and emphasises sourcing strategies such as contracting farmers to secure quality and reliability. The document details optimal harvesting stages to improve product quality and reduce waste, alongside post-harvest handling practices including sorting, inspection, and protected aggregation. It further addresses logistical considerations such as organising aggregation points, transport planning, load optimisation, and aligning transport with processing capacity, while highlighting the importance of maintaining strong relationships with transport providers.