Lesotho, Sorghum, 2009

Lesotho's estimated postharvest losses for sorghum in 2009 was 1,190 tonnes or 11.7%.

As for nutrition 4 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 5 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, Threshing and Shelling, and then Transport from field. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Mafeteng.

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	12600
2012	4674
2013	20406
2014	9844
2015	9528
2016	1159
2017	33857
2018	40335
2019	8411
2020	4255

Produced	10,151 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses	11.7% / 1,190 tonnes

Production quantity	Estimated postharvest losses
88.2725 Production quantity: 10,151 tonnes	11.7 Estimated PHL: 1,190 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	95.45 Remaining: 95.45% Est. PHL: 4.55%	4.55 Remaining: 95.45% Est. PHL: 4.55%
Threshing and Shelling	91.85 Remaining: 91.85% Est. PHL: 3.6%	3.6 Remaining: 91.85% Est. PHL: 3.6%
Winnowing	91.85 Remaining: 91.85% Est. PHL: 0%	0 Remaining: 91.85% Est. PHL: 0%
Transport from field	89.68333 Remaining: 89.68333% Est. PHL: 2.16667%	2.16667 Remaining: 89.68333% Est. PHL: 2.16667%
Household-level storage	87.7419 Remaining: 87.7419% Est. PHL: 1.94143%	1.94143 Remaining: 87.7419% Est. PHL: 1.94143%
Transport to market	87.7419 Remaining: 87.7419% Est. PHL: 0%	0 Remaining: 87.7419% Est. PHL: 0%
Market storage	87.7419 Remaining: 87.7419% Est. PHL: 0%	0 Remaining: 87.7419% Est. PHL: 0%

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

5,024

people, 0.2%

Children 1-3

12,074

children, 6.9%

Pregnant women 19-30

4,370

women, 52.5%

Men 31-50

3,869

men, 1.7%

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