Zambia, Maize, 2010

Zambia's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2010 was 474,292 tonnes or 17.0% which had an estimated value of more than 127 million US dollar, which corresponds to 6.7% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 1,645 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 1 million 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 2,795,484 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 17.0% / 474,292 tonnes / > 127 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.0336 Production quantity: 2,795,484 tonnes 17.0 Estimated PHL: 474,292 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 93.86971 Remaining: 93.86971%
Est. PHL: 6.13029%
6.13029 Remaining: 93.86971%
Est. PHL: 6.13029%
Further drying 89.92591 Remaining: 89.92591%
Est. PHL: 3.9438%
3.9438 Remaining: 89.92591%
Est. PHL: 3.9438%
Threshing and Shelling 88.50089 Remaining: 88.50089%
Est. PHL: 1.42502%
1.42502 Remaining: 88.50089%
Est. PHL: 1.42502%
Transport from field 86.14395 Remaining: 86.14395%
Est. PHL: 2.35694%
2.35694 Remaining: 86.14395%
Est. PHL: 2.35694%
Household-level storage 81.62639 Remaining: 81.62639%
Est. PHL: 4.51756%
4.51756 Remaining: 81.62639%
Est. PHL: 4.51756%
Transport to market 80.11432 Remaining: 80.11432%
Est. PHL: 1.51207%
1.51207 Remaining: 80.11432%
Est. PHL: 1.51207%
Market storage 77.46432 Remaining: 77.46432%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 77.46432%
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

1,988,376

people, 11.3%


Children 1-3

4,573,049

children, 258.3%


Pregnant women 19-30

1,655,296

women, 1,498.3%


Men 31-50

1,465,397

men, 91.4%

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