Zambia, Maize, 2006

Zambia's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2006 was 235,977 tonnes or 16.6% which had an estimated value of more than 60 million US dollar, which corresponds to 3.6% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 818 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 989 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 1,425,004 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.6% / 235,977 tonnes / > 60 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.4402 Production quantity: 1,425,004 tonnes 16.6 Estimated PHL: 235,977 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 94.16232 Remaining: 94.16232%
Est. PHL: 5.83768%
5.83768 Remaining: 94.16232%
Est. PHL: 5.83768%
Further drying 90.27494 Remaining: 90.27494%
Est. PHL: 3.88738%
3.88738 Remaining: 90.27494%
Est. PHL: 3.88738%
Threshing and Shelling 88.74463 Remaining: 88.74463%
Est. PHL: 1.53031%
1.53031 Remaining: 88.74463%
Est. PHL: 1.53031%
Transport from field 86.44518 Remaining: 86.44518%
Est. PHL: 2.29945%
2.29945 Remaining: 86.44518%
Est. PHL: 2.29945%
Household-level storage 82.16005 Remaining: 82.16005%
Est. PHL: 4.28513%
4.28513 Remaining: 82.16005%
Est. PHL: 4.28513%
Transport to market 80.74762 Remaining: 80.74762%
Est. PHL: 1.41243%
1.41243 Remaining: 80.74762%
Est. PHL: 1.41243%
Market storage 78.09762 Remaining: 78.09762%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 78.09762%
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

989,287

people, 5.6%


Children 1-3

2,275,254

children, 128.5%


Pregnant women 19-30

823,568

women, 745.4%


Men 31-50

729,087

men, 45.5%

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