Zambia, Maize, 2001

Zambia's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2001 was 133,152 tonnes or 16.6%.

As for nutrition 462 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 558 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 Further drying. 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 3020380
2012 2852688
2013 2532800
2014 3350672
2015 2618220
2016 2873053
2017 3606550
2018 2394908
2019 2122644
2020 2122644
Produced 801,876 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.6% / 133,152 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.395 Production quantity: 801,876 tonnes 16.6 Estimated PHL: 133,152 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 94.19875 Remaining: 94.19875%
Est. PHL: 5.80125% 		5.80125 Remaining: 94.19875%
Est. PHL: 5.80125%
Further drying 90.31836 Remaining: 90.31836%
Est. PHL: 3.88039% 		3.88039 Remaining: 90.31836%
Est. PHL: 3.88039%
Threshing and Shelling 88.775 Remaining: 88.775%
Est. PHL: 1.54336% 		1.54336 Remaining: 88.775%
Est. PHL: 1.54336%
Transport from field 86.48355 Remaining: 86.48355%
Est. PHL: 2.29145% 		2.29145 Remaining: 86.48355%
Est. PHL: 2.29145%
Household-level storage 82.00728 Remaining: 82.00728%
Est. PHL: 4.47627% 		4.47627 Remaining: 82.00728%
Est. PHL: 4.47627%
Transport to market 80.74196 Remaining: 80.74196%
Est. PHL: 1.26532% 		1.26532 Remaining: 80.74196%
Est. PHL: 1.26532%
Market storage 78.09196 Remaining: 78.09196%
Est. PHL: 2.65% 		2.65 Remaining: 78.09196%
Est. PHL: 2.65%

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

Total number

558,212

people, 3.2%

Children 1-3

1,283,827

children, 72.5%

Pregnant women 19-30

464,704

women, 420.6%

Men 31-50

411,392

men, 25.7%

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