The Economics of Post Harvest Losses

This is a survey data from the Kilosa district in the Morogoro region located in Eastern Tanzania, which is among the six biggest maize producing regions in Tanzania. Maize is the main food and income generating crop in Kilosa. The district is characterised by a semi-humid tropical climate. Its mean annual rainfall ranges between 800mm and 1400mm. The district receives long-term rainfall from March to early June and ‘short rains’ from November to January. The district experiences a long dry season between June and October. The temperature ranges from 18 to 30 degrees centigrade, depending on the altitude. These conditions offer a typical climate for maize production and a suitable case study area. Although Kilosa district has two rainy seasons, the pattern and amount of rainfall allow for only one harvest of the main staples per cropping season.
The survey sample consisted of 420 households in 21 villages in the Kilosa district. The sampling process involved two steps of random selection. First, a list of villages in Kilosa district which met two criteria: (1) maize is the main crop produced by the villagers and (2) maize is the main staple food in the village was obtained; and 21 villages were selected from the list. Second, 20 maize farming households from the household roster in the village office were randomly selected. One household which did not fit the definition of a small-scale farming household was dropped leaving the sample size at 419 households.The data collection process was done in June and July 2015, which is close to the end of the maize farming season in the district.