The synergy between farmers’ declaration of qualitative and quantitative maize postharvest losses in the transition agroecological zone of Ghana

Abstract

Maize is a vital staple food crop in Ghana, providing nutrition and income for millions of farm households. However, postharvest losses pose a significant threat to the maize value chain, limiting its impact on livelihoods. Besides, there are few empirical studies that examine the socio-economic and farm-level factors that influence maize postharvest losses at the farm level. This study aimed to assess maize post-harvest losses in Ghana using farmers’ declarations of their losses expressed as a quantity (kg/acre) and a percentage and, their determining factors. Survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 189 maize farmers on their perception of quantitative and qualitative postharvest losses at Atebubu-Amantin municipality in the 2021 production season. The data was analyzed using descriptive, seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) and multivariate ordered probit (MOP) models. The quantitative data shows higher postharvest loss of Gh₵362.19/acre (US$64.7) in the major season compared with the minor season (Gh₵240.9 or US$43.02/acre). Data on the qualitative estimation is similar to the quantitative losses as it also depicts higher perceived maize postharvest lost during the major production season compared with the minor season. Both methods of estimation further show increased postharvest losses associated with the drying and winnowing of maize grains, implying that adoption of modern technologies such as the solar dryer that effectively dry maize grains would be crucial towards reducing losses at the farm level. Likewise, the SUR and MOP models reveal that the main drivers of maize postharvest losses are age, sex, and the number of years in formal education and training. Production season, membership in farmer-based organisations, extension access, and credit access also appear as important factors influencing postharvest losses. The findings from these assessments provide valuable insights for policymakers, development practitioners, and farmers to develop effective strategies to reduce postharvest losses and improve food security in Ghana.