Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
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In Benin, harvesting loses for cassava were 13.6% (Bokanga 1999). Comparisons of reported
losses in cases where interventions were made to reduce losses via improved handling and
storage) showed results of approximately 50% decreases.
In Mozambique and Mali, losses for cassava were reported by AGRA (2013) to be 27%. Yams in
Nigeria were reported to suffer 12.4% physical losses, which was an economic loss of 10.5%
(Okoh 1997) while losses for cassava were reported by AGRA (2013) as 28%, with yam losses
at 37% due to damage during the harvest. For West Africa, it is estimated that 10‐50% of yam
tubers are lost during on‐farm storage (Amusa et al 2003) and a further 10‐40% are lost during
transport due to damage and rots (Rees and Bancroft 2003). Losses for both sweet potatoes and
cassava were reported by AGRA (2013) as 20 to 25% in Uganda.
Average harvest losses in Bangladesh for potato were reported to be 6% (Hossain 2009) while
Zulfiqar et al (2005) reported on losses in potatoes (12%) in Pakistan. In Tajikistan, losses in
potatoes were reported to be 4.9% (production stage); 5.2% (postharvest/storage); 0.2%
(processing and packaging); 6.4% (distribution) and 4.3% (marketing) for a total of 22%
(Nabieva 2015),
An FAO-sponsored food loss assessment in Guyana reported that postharvest losses of cassava
were 23.0% for farmers who retailed at the public, roadside or mobile markets (Craig et al
2015). At harvest, total losses for cassava averaged 6.5%mainly due to physical damages, where
pathological and entomological damages were 3.0% and 3.5% respectively (Mohammed et al
2015). A similar FAO study in Turkey reported losses for potatoes at 7% due to a number of
unfavorable practices: poor cultivation practices, damage at harvesting caused by tuber cuts,
leaving tubers in the field, untimely harvesting, harvesting on wet land, and harvesting under
unfavorable temperatures (Tatlıdil et al, 2013).