Zambia, Maize, 2003

Zambia's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2003 was 187,417 tonnes or 16.2%.

As for nutrition 650 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 785 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, Household-level storage, and then Further drying. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Central.

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 3020380
2012 2852688
2013 2532800
2014 3350672
2015 2618220
2016 2873053
2017 3606550
2018 2394908
2019 2122644
2020 2122644
Produced 1,157,862 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.2% / 187,417 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.8135 Production quantity: 1,157,862 tonnes 16.2 Estimated PHL: 187,417 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 94.54648 Remaining: 94.54648%
Est. PHL: 5.45352% 		5.45352 Remaining: 94.54648%
Est. PHL: 5.45352%
Further drying 90.73263 Remaining: 90.73263%
Est. PHL: 3.81385% 		3.81385 Remaining: 90.73263%
Est. PHL: 3.81385%
Threshing and Shelling 89.06527 Remaining: 89.06527%
Est. PHL: 1.66736% 		1.66736 Remaining: 89.06527%
Est. PHL: 1.66736%
Transport from field 86.84222 Remaining: 86.84222%
Est. PHL: 2.22305% 		2.22305 Remaining: 86.84222%
Est. PHL: 2.22305%
Household-level storage 82.37821 Remaining: 82.37821%
Est. PHL: 4.46401% 		4.46401 Remaining: 82.37821%
Est. PHL: 4.46401%
Transport to market 81.21031 Remaining: 81.21031%
Est. PHL: 1.1679% 		1.1679 Remaining: 81.21031%
Est. PHL: 1.1679%
Market storage 78.56031 Remaining: 78.56031%
Est. PHL: 2.65% 		2.65 Remaining: 78.56031%
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

785,710

people, 4.5%

Children 1-3

1,807,048

children, 102.1%

Pregnant women 19-30

654,093

women, 592.0%

Men 31-50

579,054

men, 36.1%

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