Zambia, Sorghum, 2013

Zambia's estimated postharvest losses for sorghum in 2013 was 1,959 tonnes or 12.8%.

As for nutrition 7 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 8 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 Threshing and Shelling. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Southern.

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	18794
2012	15756
2013	15329
2014	11583
2015	8124
2016	14212
2017	17691
2018	13590
2019	19665
2020	19665

Produced	15,329 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses	12.8% / 1,959 tonnes

Production quantity	Estimated postharvest losses
87.2214 Production quantity: 15,329 tonnes	12.8 Estimated PHL: 1,959 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	95.5915 Remaining: 95.5915% Est. PHL: 4.4085%	4.4085 Remaining: 95.5915% Est. PHL: 4.4085%
Threshing and Shelling	91.9915 Remaining: 91.9915% Est. PHL: 3.6%	3.6 Remaining: 91.9915% Est. PHL: 3.6%
Winnowing	91.9915 Remaining: 91.9915% Est. PHL: 0%	0 Remaining: 91.9915% Est. PHL: 0%
Transport from field	89.82483 Remaining: 89.82483% Est. PHL: 2.16667%	2.16667 Remaining: 89.82483% Est. PHL: 2.16667%
Household-level storage	85.99131 Remaining: 85.99131% Est. PHL: 3.83352%	3.83352 Remaining: 85.99131% Est. PHL: 3.83352%
Transport to market	84.99131 Remaining: 84.99131% Est. PHL: 1%	1 Remaining: 84.99131% Est. PHL: 1%
Market storage	82.56909 Remaining: 82.56909% Est. PHL: 2.42222%	2.42222 Remaining: 82.56909% Est. PHL: 2.42222%

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 sorghum that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

8,638

people, 0.0%

Children 1-3

19,866

children, 1.1%

Pregnant women 19-30

7,191

women, 6.5%

Men 31-50

6,366

men, 0.4%

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