Zambia, Maize, 2014

Zambia's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2014 was 571,275 tonnes or 17.0% which had an estimated value of more than 159 million US dollar, which corresponds to 8.7% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 1,982 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 2 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 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 3,350,672 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 17.0% / 571,275 tonnes / > 159 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
82.9504 Production quantity: 3,350,672 tonnes 17.0 Estimated PHL: 571,275 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 93.77491 Remaining: 93.77491%
Est. PHL: 6.22509%
6.22509 Remaining: 93.77491%
Est. PHL: 6.22509%
Further drying 89.81276 Remaining: 89.81276%
Est. PHL: 3.96215%
3.96215 Remaining: 89.81276%
Est. PHL: 3.96215%
Threshing and Shelling 88.42202 Remaining: 88.42202%
Est. PHL: 1.39074%
1.39074 Remaining: 88.42202%
Est. PHL: 1.39074%
Transport from field 86.04563 Remaining: 86.04563%
Est. PHL: 2.37639%
2.37639 Remaining: 86.04563%
Est. PHL: 2.37639%
Household-level storage 81.53751 Remaining: 81.53751%
Est. PHL: 4.50812%
4.50812 Remaining: 81.53751%
Est. PHL: 4.50812%
Transport to market 79.96498 Remaining: 79.96498%
Est. PHL: 1.57253%
1.57253 Remaining: 79.96498%
Est. PHL: 1.57253%
Market storage 77.31498 Remaining: 77.31498%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 77.31498%
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

2,394,956

people, 13.6%


Children 1-3

5,508,139

children, 311.1%


Pregnant women 19-30

1,993,768

women, 1,804.6%


Men 31-50

1,765,039

men, 110.1%

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