Lesotho, Maize, 2013

Lesotho's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2013 was 14,444 tonnes or 16.7%.

As for nutrition 50 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 57 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, Further drying, and then Household-level storage. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Maseru.

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	70311
2012	42470
2013	86324
2014	90073
2015	65637
2016	19182
2017	172666
2018	109911
2019	24620
2020	25160

Produced	86,324 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses	16.7% / 14,444 tonnes

Production quantity	Estimated postharvest losses
83.2676 Production quantity: 86,324 tonnes	16.7 Estimated PHL: 14,444 tonnes

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

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	93.58 Remaining: 93.58% Est. PHL: 6.42%	6.42 Remaining: 93.58% Est. PHL: 6.42%
Further drying	89.58 Remaining: 89.58% Est. PHL: 4%	4 Remaining: 89.58% Est. PHL: 4%
Threshing and Shelling	88.26 Remaining: 88.26% Est. PHL: 1.32%	1.32 Remaining: 88.26% Est. PHL: 1.32%
Transport from field	85.84333 Remaining: 85.84333% Est. PHL: 2.41667%	2.41667 Remaining: 85.84333% Est. PHL: 2.41667%
Household-level storage	82.114 Remaining: 82.114% Est. PHL: 3.72933%	3.72933 Remaining: 82.114% Est. PHL: 3.72933%
Transport to market	80.464 Remaining: 80.464% Est. PHL: 1.65%	1.65 Remaining: 80.464% Est. PHL: 1.65%
Market storage	77.814 Remaining: 77.814% Est. PHL: 2.65%	2.65 Remaining: 77.814% Est. PHL: 2.65%

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

Nutrition

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

Total number

57,956

people, 2.6%

Children 1-3

139,267

children, 80.0%

Pregnant women 19-30

50,410

women, 605.3%

Men 31-50

44,627

men, 19.2%

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