Zambia, Maize, 2004

Zambia's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2004 was 199,425 tonnes or 16.4% which had an estimated value of more than 29 million US dollar.

As for nutrition 692 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 836 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 Eastern.

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 1,213,601 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.4% / 199,425 tonnes / > 29 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.5675 Production quantity: 1,213,601 tonnes 16.4 Estimated PHL: 199,425 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 94.34596 Remaining: 94.34596%
Est. PHL: 5.65404%
5.65404 Remaining: 94.34596%
Est. PHL: 5.65404%
Further drying 90.4938 Remaining: 90.4938%
Est. PHL: 3.85216%
3.85216 Remaining: 90.4938%
Est. PHL: 3.85216%
Threshing and Shelling 88.89781 Remaining: 88.89781%
Est. PHL: 1.59599%
1.59599 Remaining: 88.89781%
Est. PHL: 1.59599%
Transport from field 86.63578 Remaining: 86.63578%
Est. PHL: 2.26203%
2.26203 Remaining: 86.63578%
Est. PHL: 2.26203%
Household-level storage 82.15851 Remaining: 82.15851%
Est. PHL: 4.47727%
4.47727 Remaining: 82.15851%
Est. PHL: 4.47727%
Transport to market 80.94848 Remaining: 80.94848%
Est. PHL: 1.21003%
1.21003 Remaining: 80.94848%
Est. PHL: 1.21003%
Market storage 78.29848 Remaining: 78.29848%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 78.29848%
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 maize that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

836,050

people, 4.7%


Children 1-3

1,922,825

children, 108.6%


Pregnant women 19-30

696,001

women, 630.0%


Men 31-50

616,154

men, 38.4%

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