Assessing drivers of maize storage losses in south west Benin using a Fractional Response Model

An assessment of drivers of maize storage losses was undertaken in south west Benin applying the Fractional Response Model on information collected from 400 smallholder maize farmers. Overall, respondents lose on average 10.3% of their harvest during the storage period. The average marginal effect obtained from the fractional response model of storage losses revealed that storage technologies, farmers’ post-harvest attitudes, insects damage, the weather conditions and infrastructures played a significant role in the level of storage losses surveyed farmers have experienced. Farmers using bags and plastic containers have respectively reduced their storage losses by 6.7 and 7.8% compared to farmers using cribs. Considering the use of storage protectant, the results indicated that using ash, neem leaves, pepper or lemon lead to an increase of 4.1% of losses relative to storing without any protectant. Drying after harvesting decreased by 1.9% the share of the quantity stored lost during storage. The percentage of maize lost increased by 5.1% for respondents who have reported insects as predators of their stored maize. Rain at harvest time increased the percentage of losses by 2.1%. A one-degree increase in temperature increased the percentage of maize loss by 4.4% and farmers who live at less than 26.5 km to the market have reduced by 0.17% of maize losses. Effective policies for a sustainable reduction of storage losses among maize farmers in the area should consider the need to discourage the use of cribs, ash, leaves, pepper and lemon as storage technologies. Farmers should avoid harvesting during times of rain, and should properly dry their produce after harvesting. Sustainable hermetic equipment should be promoted and farmers’ access to markets facilitated.