By 
Lusaka-based economist, Kelvin Chisanga, has urged Zambia to urgently address the adverse effects of post-harvest losses, warning that they posed a serious threat to agricultural output and national food security.
The country is projected to produce a record 3.6 million tonnes of maize this year, rebounding strongly from last year’s poor harvest of 1.5 million tonnes.
However, concerns are mounting over potential losses after harvesting.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Chisanga noted that efforts to mitigate post-harvest losses were being scaled up, with around US$15 million in financial and technical support committed by strategic stakeholders.
“The recent launch of the ‘Scaling Solutions for Food Loss in Africa’ initiative by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) marks a major step forward,” he said.
The initiative aims to support improved food storage and processing models, introduce effective food preservation technologies, and build capacity throughout the entire food value chain to reduce waste.
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“This timely intervention is especially critical for Zambia, which is still recovering from the effects of a devastating drought during the last farming season,” Chisanga added.
He further pointed out that Zambia had historically achieved bumper harvests, making it even more crucial to safeguard those gains from being eroded after harvest.
Chisanga emphasized that post-harvest losses not only affect individual farmers, who lose a key source of income, but also negatively impact the broader economy.
“At the national level, this translates into reduced economic value and weakened food security,” he said.
“Combating post-harvest losses is therefore not just a matter of improving efficiency—it is a strategic imperative for sustainable agriculture and national development,” Chisanga stated.
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