Maize grows best on deep, welldrained, fertile soils, and where total seasonal rainfall exceeds 500 mm. Perspectives to reducing postharvest losses of agricultural. Reducing postharvest losses phl is a key pathway to food and nutrition security in subsaharan africa. In subsaharan africa postharvest losses in maize and other key grains are roughly twice as important as in central america, especially where the large grain borer a pest that destroys maize. In early 2016, a rockefeller foundation grant funded ideas42 to study the behavioral challenges contributing to post harvest loss among smallholder maize farmers in tanzania. Approximately 40% of these losses occur storage at the farm and market, 30% during processing drying, threshing, and winnowing, 20% in transport from the field to the homesteadfarm, and the remaining 10% during transport to market. The case of postharvest grain losses in subsaharan africa report no. Adverse weather contributes to low farm outputs, high postharvest losses and. Full text of the causes of post harvest losses in maize and.
Fao estimates from 2011 suggest that as much as 37 percent of food produced in subsaharan africa is lost between production and consumption. Jul 20, 2019 determinants of postharvest physical losses along maize value chain. Postproduction practices, grain losses and perceptions in maize. Improving methods for estimating postharvest losses is aimed at developing statistical methods for measuring postharvest losses. Part 1 the nature of cereal grain postharvest losses. Post harvest losses in africa are often estimated to be between 20 and 40% world bank et al. To identify the different causes of post harvest losses in maize in masindi municipality 2. The concept of post harvest loss management that this strategy presents describes an integrated approach to dealing with post harvest losses by bringing together all possible. Effects of postharvest practices on the production and nutritive value of maize residues in zimbabwe livestock production programme project r6993 nri project a0730 1 october 1997 30 september 2000 final technical report j morton, c wood, s ncube, r coker, n nyoni, d thomas and m nagler. In subsaharan africa postharvest losses in maize and other key grains are roughly. July 2002 ii users feedback solicited the authors welcome suggestions for additions to this manual and for changes in the materials included in this edition and will include such changes in the next edition. Maize seed management postharvest treatment and storage in the last two decades, researchers have come up with many new production technologies for different cropping systems. To establish the extent of post harvest losses in maize 3.
Postharvest grain losses threaten the countrys food security as it is estimated that at least 100 000 tonnes of grain are lost between harvesting and storage of maize, the financial gazettes. Postharvest losses cgiar research program on maize. Post harvest loss characteristics in the maize based system. Pdf the study examined the nature and causes of postharvest losses incurred by formal and informal traders in mutare urban. Maize is susceptible to both drought and waterlogging. Cassava, a staple crop critical to food security in.
This paper measures farmlevel postharvest losses for three main cropsmaize, soy, and groundnutsamong 1,200 households in malawi. In africa, post harvest losses of maize from harvest to market sale are believed to amount to around 1020%. Globally, quantitative grain losses are estimated to be 1020% of. What fao is doing in close collaboration with local partners, fao developed a training manual on postharvest management of maize, small grains, groundnut and legumes, and distributed it to the government of zimbabwes d epartment of agriculture. For post harvest handling and storage loss only, the fao estimate is 8 percent, and the african post harvest losses. The loss of harvested maize and other food commodities can be qualitative or quantitative.
There are two threshingshelling loss figures for maize, both from zimbabwe. Threshing and shelling losses in smallholder manual methods for zimbabwe. Is postharvest loss significant in subsaharan africa. Farmers answered a detailed questionnaire designed to learn about losses during harvest and transport, processing, and storage and which measures both total losses and reductions in crop quality. Using random sampling, 310 farmers from two districts of zimbabwe with contrasting. The case of postharvest grain losses in subsaharan africa. Postharvest losses in africa are often estimated to be between. Determinants of postharvest losses along smallholder. To analyze the effects of post harvest losses on profitability of agribusiness enterprises in masindi municipality 1. Measuring postharvest losses at the farm level in malawi. Reducing post harvest losses in maize is an essential component in any strategy to make more food available without increasing the burden on the natural environment.
Pdf postharvest losses to agricultural product traders in. Abstract this special project was compiled after conducting research in masindi municipality on the causes of post harvest losses and their effects on the profitability of agribusiness enterprises. A report on assessment of maize postharvest losses in the. A metaanalysis has been conducted to expose nature and magnitude of phl, and the kinds of interventions that have been attempted to mitigate the losses. Indeed, this calls for more reliable and verifiable data on post harvest losses obengofori, 2011. Such losses are a combination of those which occur on the field, in storage, during processing and other marketing activities.
By maize postharvest stage, aphlis estimates harvesting losses of. A significant proportion 40% of roots and tubers are also lost after harvest. Post harvest handling, poor infrastructure, weather variability, biotic factors such as insects and pests, bacteria, pathogens, viruses, and fungi, often aggravate such losses. Selected postharvest loss interventions in africa 1 across africa, fruits and vegetables feature the highest rate of losses as a proportion of productionapproximately 50%. Initiatives, usaids postharvest handling and storage phhs project set out to integrate farmers into commercial marketing channels as a way of driving investment in postharvest technology and process improvements for staple crops, particularly maize, beans, and rice. Maize is grown all over the world, in more than 100 countries. Postharvest food losses in a maizebased farming system of. That zimbabwe is headed for a bumper harvest after receiving favourable rains in the 2016 17 agricultural season is a fact. Postharvest losses in maize storetime and marketing model. In partnership with the rockefeller foundation and its yieldwise initiative team, ideas42. Such an investment in drying and storage facilities mandates that producers and crop managers do a good job of maintaining grain quality after harvest and keeping it in good condition throughout the. Determinants of postharvest losses along smallholder producers. Pdf postharvest losses to agricultural product traders. Current maize production, postharvest losses and the risk of.
The gpt observed current grain handling and pest management tactics, storedproduct insect activity, drying systems and post harvest grain losses in onfarm storages and small, medium and largescale storage warehouses in ghana. There are two threshingshelling loss figures for maize, both from zimbabwe table 5. Post harvest handling postharvest management practices that reduce product loss to spoilage or shrinkage will reduce microbial risks. Postharvest food losses in a maizebased farming system. Primary data was gathered from the study areas using a questionnaire, the results of which were used to select 200 wheat farming households for in depth analysis. Pdf postharvest knowledge, perceptions and practices of african. This paper uses selfreported measures from nationally representative household surveys in malawi, uganda, and tanzania. Quantitative losses are easy to determine and report since they constitute a physical reduction in the marketable volume and can be easily measured. Disclaimer the authors views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the united states. Extensive research has been conducted on postharvest losses in developing countries across different disciplines, however, a standard methodology for collecting data and estimating. Maize is reasonably tolerant to soil acidity, but if the soil is very acid, liming will improve the soil and enhance maize yields. Quantitative postharvest losses of economic importance occur in the field.
Assessment of maize postharvest losses in the middle belt of. Current maize production, postharvest losses and the risk. Since the outcome dependent variable is ordered and categorical we cannot use ordinary least square and multinomial logit probit type models. The growing of improved varieties, mineral fertilizer use, rotations, and intercrops, have all boosted production considerably. Corn harvesting, handling, drying, and storage samuel mcneill and michael montross vest periodfrom the field to the elevator or miller. Postharvest loss reduction throughout commodity value chains is an. Although significant variations may exist in the proportions of food lost in the field and during storage, the farmers estimated that the total crop loss from the field until final marketing in the study area was between 25% and 40%. Despite the steady production of maize over the past three decades, post harvest losses of maize remained significant, up to 3040 % in some rural areas. Why reducing postharvest losses is a priority for africa. Maize and sorghum grain were stored in new and recycled polypropylene. Most farmers do not know how to store their maize and that can affect them from getting a fair value for their money, he said. Apr, 2012 post harvest losses contribute to high food prices by removing part of the supply from the market. Effective management during the postharvest period, rather than the level of sophistication of any given. Post harvest grain losses threaten the countrys food security as it is estimated that at least 100 000 tonnes of grain are lost between harvesting and storage of maize, the financial gazettes.
Maize seed management postharvest treatment and storage. How to manage postharvest loss working in development. We assess maize quantity losses during harvesting, dehusking, transport to homestead, drying, shelling, storage, milling, and selling. Postharvest losses under the microscope zimbabwe situation. The african postharvest losses information system aphlis jrc. In subsaharan africa alone, up to 150 kgs of food produced is lost per person every year.
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