Ghana, Sorghum, 2022

Ghana's estimated postharvest losses for sorghum in 2022 was 35,347 tonnes or 12.4%.

As for nutrition 121 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 142 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 Household-level storage. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Upper West.

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 287068
2012 279983
2013 256737
2014 259000
2015 228401
2016 223269
2017 277540
2018 316237
2019 284935
2020 284935
Produced 284,935 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 12.4% / 35,347 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
87.5946 Production quantity: 284,935 tonnes 12.4 Estimated PHL: 35,347 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 86.98889 Remaining: 86.98889%
Est. PHL: 2.69444% 		2.69444 Remaining: 86.98889%
Est. PHL: 2.69444%
Transport to market 86.98889 Remaining: 86.98889%
Est. PHL: 0% 		0 Remaining: 86.98889%
Est. PHL: 0%
Market storage 86.98889 Remaining: 86.98889%
Est. PHL: 0% 		0 Remaining: 86.98889%
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

142,336

people, 0.5%

Children 1-3

337,866

children, 13.5%

Pregnant women 19-30

122,297

women, 57.5%

Men 31-50

108,266

men, 3.5%

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