When checking the boxes does not yield the desired results

I have a farm that I run remotely, seeing as I am based in the city. Farming, like any business, is an intense venture financially and time-wise. But it is also gratifying if done right.?

It does help that I have grown up on the farm, so I have a good grasp of what it takes. As an expert in my field, I know the value of engaging an agronomist who I work with to guide me and the farm workers on good agricultural practices. For example, we have a spraying schedule complete with which chemicals to apply, frequency, down to the mixture ratios. This information helps me plan my spending on both procuring the chemicals and paying for labour.

Even with all these controls in place, it took me a trip to the farm recently to catch some areas that were not being done right. On this particular trip, I purposed to spend time with the workers while they were spraying the plants because I was spending a lot of money on the farm without getting commensurate results. Despite religiously sticking to the spraying schedule, every time I visited the farm, I noticed the plants were still not reflecting the desired effects of the chemicals being applied. I had also been forced into a substantial unscheduled expense of pruning dry branches after the farm had been infested by the dreaded and very stubborn citrus scale disease that was threatening to wipe out my pixie orange orchard.

As is the norm, the workers packed enough chemicals and had enough water for the 30 20-litre knapsack pumps needed for my farm. After the first two to three pumps, I noticed that the workers were barely spraying enough chemical per plant before moving on to the next. The explanation given was that this was the only way to fit the 30 pumps. They were following the standard operating procedures of mixing right ratio of chemicals and spraying the allocated number of pumps.

I took one of the sprayers and showed them how they should spray the plants slowly and intensely until every leaf was covered, all the way to the trunk. By the time we were done, we had used 60 instead of the usual 30 pumps. What I had not realised was that over time, the plants had grown to big bushes requiring more chemicals than when they were smaller. While the workers were still following the laid down rules and processes, I was not getting the results to show for all the work.

Now I will need to spend a little more on chemicals and labor at this curative stage before easing off as we move into a more preventive phase.?

This experience got me thinking about how we as founders can still check all the boxes in following a laid-out process but still not end up with the desired results.

Here are a couple of things I am planning to do during the next season in order to achieve higher yields and revenues. Some remain the same, while others are improvements.

Document standard operating procedures

Farm records are critical to keep things organized. Given the numerous moving parts of the farm operations, having a documented way of doing things is my starting point. This gives me a basis for planning my farm budget so I know ahead of time how much to spend against projected yields and revenues. I also use the detailed processes to train the farm workers as well as a reference point to review compliance

Enforce documented processes

It is nonsense to document operating procedures if they are not being enforced.

People tend to forget what they hear. Having the operating procedures documented has allowed the workers to review the notes when in doubt about a particular step. Farm managers or supervisors are also able to be objective in reviewing roles and responsibilities for workers and offering commensurate rewards. I usually know, going by the documented process, how much work has been done during every spraying session and the quantity of chemicals used. So I am able to calculate and make payments as a reward for work done. Training new workers is also easy as the guidelines are standardised for all steps to ensure consistency.?

Accountability and oversight?

As a busy founder who is not able to visit and spend as much time on the farm as I would like to, having an extra set of eyes to oversee the farm operations is very helpful. Having an agronomist make scheduled visits to assess progress against documented processes allows a trained set of eyes to catch gaps and provide objective feedback and alternate solutions. I may be the farm owner, but I do not have all the answers.

Regular review of written guidelines?

This is not just for compliance, but also for tying activities to desired results. Enforcing the spraying schedule as developed by the agronomist was meant to result in healthier plants yielding higher produce. So when I ended up with sickly plants and drying branches, I knew there must be some critical control points in need of review. As the founder, I may need to be present to assess the work being done and see what areas need to be reviewed.???

A consistent guide for new workers

Every time I hire new workers, they come with all manner of different practices from previous employers. Without a basis of my own detailed processes, it's hard to have an objective view of promising practices working elsewhere that I could learn from. The danger here is getting swayed into unproven practices that may be harmful to my farm and will keep changing with every new hire.

As a founder, are you finding freedom by documenting the standard operating procedures for your business? What tweaks do you need to make to ensure you achieve the desired results?

Founders Freedom is more than happy to help you build a resilient business that can run in your absence and last generations. Whenever you are ready, send us a DM or write to us at?[email protected].

By:?Martin Mutuku, MIoD (K),?Founders Freedom