Sierra Leone, All cereals, 2020

In 2020, Sierra Leone's annual estimated postharvest losses were 103,118 tonnes for rice, 4,393 tonnes for maize. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 17.0% for maize and 12.6% for rice. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for rice: over 106 million USD.

Within the value chain, for all crops the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying. Within Sierra Leone, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for rice in Northern, for maize in Northern. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated rice grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 427,384 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Sierra Leone in 2020

Top 2 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Rice Maize
Production quantity in tonnes 819,089 tonnes 25,800 tonnes
Loss % 12.6% 17.0%
Losses in tonnes 103,118 tonnes 4,393 tonnes
Financial value > 106 million USD –
% of national agricultural GDP – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 427,384 people 18,207 people

See full postharvest losses data tables with loss percentage › | losses in tonnes › | losses in USD › | nutritional losses ›

Postharvest loss estimates per value chain step

  • Estimated % of crop left at this value chain stage
  • Estimated % of crop lost at this value chain stage
Harvesting/field drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Rice 95.60 Crop left: 95.60% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Maize 93.58 Crop left: 93.58% 6.4 Estimated PHL: 6.4%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Rice 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Threshing and Shelling
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Rice 92.46 Crop left: 92.46% 3.1 Estimated PHL: 3.1%
Maize 88.26 Crop left: 88.26% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Rice 89.96 Crop left: 89.96% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Rice 88.71 Crop left: 88.71% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Maize 85.87 Crop left: 85.87% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Rice 88.38 Crop left: 88.38% 0.3 Estimated PHL: 0.3%
Maize 83.56 Crop left: 83.56% 2.3 Estimated PHL: 2.3%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Rice 87.38 Crop left: 87.38% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Maize 81.91 Crop left: 81.91% 1.7 Estimated PHL: 1.7%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Rice 84.73 Crop left: 84.73% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Maize 79.26 Crop left: 79.26% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%

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