National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike, P.M.B. 7006, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.

Nwafor S.C.; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7499-1757

*Corresponding Authors’ Contact Detail: E-mail Address ✉: solomonnwafor8@gmail.com; Phone Number ☎: Tel: +2347035245706

Accepted September 20, 2023

The study addressed the stages, causes, and effects of postharvest losses of yam and to the extent they affect food security in Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design using a public opinion survey in 2 states (Benue and Nasarawa) of Nigeria. Data were obtained through interview schedules while a multi-stage sampling procedure was employed in the selection of 160 respondents for the study. The result highlights the gender disparity, age distribution, marital status, level of education, and family size among yam farmers in Nigeria. The result showed the highest percentage loss range is 15-19.9%, accounting for 28%. It further revealed that loss occurs more at storage (32%) followed by the processing stage (22%). The analysis revealed that the coefficient of harvest (-0.0192), storage (-0.0148), transportation (-0.0276), and processing (-0.0293) were inversely related to food security which is an indication that a unit rise in any of these factors will lead to a decrease to food security in Nigeria. The Chi-square value of 514.845 indicates the overall significance of the model in explaining the relationship between postharvest losses and food security which suggests that the variables collectively have a substantial impact on food security in the North Central Zone of Nigeria. The results emphasize the need for interventions and policies that focus on reducing postharvest losses of yam to improve food security, enhance economic capacity, and promote sustainable agriculture in the region. The findings show the stages, causes, and effects of postharvest losses of yam and their relationship to food security in Nigeria.

Key words: Food Security, Postharvest Losses, Yam.

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