Determinants of postharvest losses along smallholder producers maize and Sweetpotato value chains: an ordered Probit analysis

Apurba Shee,Sarah Mayanja,Aurelie Bechoff,Tanya Stathers,Ben Bennett,Eria Simba

doi:10.1007/s12571-019-00949-4

Abstract

Postharvest loss reduction throughout commodity value chains is an important pathway to food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, lack of understanding of the location and share of the losses and associated factors along the postharvest value chains remains a major challenge to operationalizing postharvest loss mitigation strategies. This paper assesses the determinants of postharvest losses at each postharvest stage of maize and sweetpotato (white fleshed and orange fleshed) value chains for smallholder farmers using our cross-sectional field survey data from two districts in Uganda. An ordered probit model estimation reveals that self-reported perceptions of the level of quantitative postharvest losses at different stages of commodity value chains are influenced by socio-economic factors as well as existing postharvest handling and storage practices. Increased years of education and training received on postharvest management are related to lower perceived levels of postharvest losses at key stages of value chains. Lower perceived postharvest losses are also associated with: at transport to homestead the use of sacks and bicycles as opposed to the use of baskets or transporting by trucks; at drying the use of tarpaulins as opposed to use of plastic sheets; shelling using bare-hands as opposed to beating cobs in sack with sticks; storage in a brick and mortar store as opposed to storing in living room in the house.

Highlights

Entebbe, UgandaPostharvest loss of food crops is a global challenge to attainment of the sustainable development goals such as zero hunger and responsible consumption and production
The results of the determinants of postharvest losses for each node of maize value chain are presented in Table 6 (A and B)
This result is consistent with the finding of Kaminski and Christiaensen (2014) who report perceptions of postharvest losses for maize to be substantially lower for female-headed households compared to male headed households

Summary

Introduction

UgandaPostharvest loss of food crops is a global challenge to attainment of the sustainable development goals such as zero hunger and responsible consumption and production. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), postharvest loss is important because is agricultural productivity low, but about 374 million people experience severe food insecurity (FAO et al 2018). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, each year about one-third of all food produced for human consumption is lost world-wide.. In SSA, the physical loss of food has been approximately estimated as 37% or 120– 170 kg per year per capita (FAO 2011). The World Bank et al (2011) estimate the value of postharvest loss per year in SSA for all grains to be about $4 billion, which is more than the value of food aid received in SSA over last decade. The volume and value of these postharvest loss estimates are alarming highlighting the urgency to better understand and reduce postharvest food losses

Methods

Results

Conclusion