Post-harvest losses assessment and management strategies for cereal crops in developing countries

Abstract

An estimated 14-36% of cereal grain produced in developing countries never reaches the consumer, lost at various stages between harvest and final use. This research assessed post-harvest losses across five major cereal crops (wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, and millet) and evaluated the effectiveness of six management strategies in reducing those losses. A multi-country survey covering 868 farming households across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America was conducted between January 2022 and March 2023. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires, on-site grain sampling, and direct weight measurements at each post-harvest stage. Storage accounted for the largest share of losses (32.6%), followed by harvesting (18.4%) and threshing (14.7%). Sorghum recorded the highest total losses at 31.0%, while wheat was lowest at 19.3%. Among management interventions, metal silos reduced losses by 74.1% but had the lowest adoption rate (18.2%) due to cost. Training programs, though less effective individually at 37.2% loss reduction, had the highest adoption at 53.8%. These results suggest that combining low-cost technologies with farmer education offers the most practical path toward reducing cereal post-harvest losses at scale.