Understanding the nexus of postharvest losses and food insecurity: Empirical evidence from Nigeria

Abstract

Achieving food security is challenging because of complex factors, including postharvest losses (PHL). This study used data from the third wave of the Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS) on agricultural households in Nigeria to examine the dynamics of PHL, its drivers, and its implications for national food security. Per capita food expenditure (PCFE) and the household dietary diversity score (HDDS) were the household food-security outcomes. Binary probit regression was used to estimate the determinants of PHL, and endogenous switching regression was used to assess the impact of PHL on household food security. The findings revealed that PHL for grains, including sorghum, maize, millet, and cowpea, was higher than that for root crops such as yam and cassava. About 40% of households were food-insecure. The age of the household head, zonation, educational level, and increases in temperature and rainfall were associated with a higher probability of PHL. Treatment effect estimates indicate that households experiencing PHL are more likely to incur higher food expenditure and experience lower dietary diversity. Consequently, higher asset value, integrated management of PHL in grains, and improved access to extension services will enhance and accelerate the attainment of national food security in Nigeria. Policy interventions, such as the proliferation of grain aggregation centres at the subnational level, value addition, localized crop processing and preservation, are imperative to sustaining efforts to reduce PHL and food insecurity.