Benin, Sorghum, 2018

Benin's estimated postharvest losses for sorghum in 2018 was 16,689 tonnes or 10.5% which had an estimated value of more than 12 million US dollar, which corresponds to 0.3% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 57 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 68 thousand people, in terms of annual nutritional dietary energy requirements. In the value chain, the majority of the loss is estimated to be happening at Harvesting/field drying, Threshing and Shelling, and then Market storage. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Alibori.

To view the list of studies used to estimate these losses, please see the References tab.

Production quantity and estimated postharvest losses

  • Production quantity (tonnes)
  • Estimated postharvest losses (tonnes)
2011–2021
2011 133216
2012 107969
2013 114750
2014 100248
2015 129674
2016 129666
2017 154549
2018 159696
2019 160000
2020 148236
Produced 159,696 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 10.5% / 16,689 tonnes / > 12 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
89.5495 Production quantity: 159,696 tonnes 10.5 Estimated PHL: 16,689 tonnes

See full postharvest losses data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes › | USD ›

Value chain

Production quantity and estimated postharvest losses in % per value chain step. Please note that once loss has occurred at harvesting, the percentage loss in the next stage is a percentage of what remained, not of the original amount.

  • Estimated % of crop left
  • Estimated % of crop lost
Amount remaining(%) Estimated postharvest loss(%)
Production 100 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
0 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
Harvesting/field drying 95.45 Remaining: 95.45%
Est. PHL: 4.55%
4.55 Remaining: 95.45%
Est. PHL: 4.55%
Threshing and Shelling 91.85 Remaining: 91.85%
Est. PHL: 3.6%
3.6 Remaining: 91.85%
Est. PHL: 3.6%
Winnowing 91.85 Remaining: 91.85%
Est. PHL: 0%
0 Remaining: 91.85%
Est. PHL: 0%
Transport from field 89.68333 Remaining: 89.68333%
Est. PHL: 2.16667%
2.16667 Remaining: 89.68333%
Est. PHL: 2.16667%
Household-level storage 89.68333 Remaining: 89.68333%
Est. PHL: 0%
0 Remaining: 89.68333%
Est. PHL: 0%
Transport to market 88.68333 Remaining: 88.68333%
Est. PHL: 1%
1 Remaining: 88.68333%
Est. PHL: 1%
Market storage 86.03333 Remaining: 86.03333%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 86.03333%
Est. PHL: 2.65%

See full value chain data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes › | USD ›

Nutrition

Number of people whose annual dietary requirements (in terms of energy, kcal) could have been met by consuming the sorghum that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

68,671

people, 0.6%


Children 1-3

159,522

children, 14.4%


Pregnant women 19-30

57,742

women, 47.3%


Men 31-50

51,118

men, 4.8%

See full nutritional impact data for Children 1–3 › | Pregnant women 19–30 › | Men 31–50 ›