In response to a growing demand for high-quality and internationally-comparable statistics, FAO develops, implements and promotes methods and standards to guide national data producers in generating and using sound statistics. In particular, the Organization is committed to provide national statistical systems with internationally recognized definitions, concepts and classifications as well as methodological guidance for the production of high quality statistics related to food and agriculture.
This interface allows you to search for statistical classifications, guidelines and handbooks, technical reports, working papers and methodological documents, and capacity development resources. You can search by SUBJECT (general, agriculture, forestry, fishery and aquaculture, and natural resources) or use the ADVANCED SEARCH to search by keyword, country, language and lead authoring unit/office. Comments, suggestions and inquiries can be addressed to: [email protected].
You can access here all the statistical guidelines and handbooks, technical reports, working papers and methodological documents, and capacity development resources.
Type a keyword in the free text search box or refine your search by keyword, country, language and lead authoring unit/office.
Comments, suggestions and inquiries can be addressed to: [email protected].
Abstract: The reduction of agricultural losses, especially among smallholder farmers, should be an essential component of food security strategies in developing countries. Loss reduction strategies should be informed by evidence on optimal loss levels, or the point below which loss reduction efforts become economically unviable, characterized by reduction costs greater than benefits. Information on minimum losses can help provide a benchmark for farm management, formulation of policies, and investment decisions. This study connects information on minimum losses with farming practices or production technologies, to help in assessing the effectiveness of loss reduction practices and of the underlying policies and incentives that promote them. While most empirical research and data collection activities on losses tend to focus on average losses, this paper provides evidence on minimum losses levels for several commodities and regions of the world.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: This document reflects the latest reference metadata information available on SDG-indicator 12.3.1 "Global Food Loss and Waste". Last updated: February 2021.
Lead authoring unit/office: FAO
Abstract: A study was conducted in two Agriculture Development District (ADDs) of Malawi, Salima and Lilongwe, to pilot a new methodology for estimating on-farm harvest and post-harvest losses. The study was carried-out with technical support from the Global strategy to improve agricultural and rural statistics (GSARS) of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This pilot exercise principally aimed at strengthening the capacity of Malawi in generating reliable estimates on post-harvest losses. The data collection was carried out using a household questionnaire which was specifically developed for this exercise. The analysis of the results showed that a significant amount of farm produce is lost during harvesting, followed by threshing. The study also highlighted that on-time harvesting and use of chemicals are considered by farmers as the most effective strategies for preventing on-farm losses, even though farmers are not always in a position to implement these strategies. The authors recommend that a solid baseline on harvest and post-harvest losses be established by replicating on a larger scale this pilot survey for three consecutive years, to account for weather variation and other exogenous factors which may affect losses. The survey would benefit from the integration with existing country-wide data collection systems such as the Agricultural production estimates survey (APES) to ensure low operational costs and sustainability. It is also recommended that Computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) should be introduced for future exercises to improve on data quality and timeliness
Abstract: In the framework of the Global strategy to improve agriculture and rural statistics (GSARS), FAO provided technical assistance to Zimbabwe on the measurement of harvest and post-harvest losses through sample surveys. The technical assistance was provided in the form of a pilot study on estimating harvest and post-harvest losses for major crops in the Makonde district in the communal and A1 farming sectors. The survey focused on maize and sorghum and included the measurement of on-farm losses. The survey captured losses through interviews of farmers as well as through physical measurements. The number of usable data points for sorghum were too few to provide reliable production and loss estimates, hence the results presented in this report mostly refer to maize. The results show that 5.2 percent of grain is lost at harvest and 3.8 percent lost at drying. The comparison of the loss estimates according to the measurement method used shows mixed results; in A1 farming sectors, farmers’ own loss estimates tend to be lower than physical measurement, while the opposite is evidenced in the communal sector (except for drying). Timely harvesting was used by most farmers to limit losses, followed by stooking when harvesting and the use of chemicals to protect crops from pest infestations during storage. Keywords: Post-harvest losses, Zimbabwe, Makonde, Grains
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: This technical report provides findings of field test conducted in identified states / districts / municipalities / study area in Mexico on the basis of sampling methodology for estimation of postharvest losses of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables) developed by the team led by Dr. Tauqueer Ahmad, Head, Division of Sample Surveys, Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, Institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR-IASRI), New Delhi, India. The Technical Report entitled “Findings from the field test conducted on estimating post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables in Mexico” contains details of findings of the developed methodology implemented in Mexico, including challenges encountered and lessons learnt. It is expected that this report will help the users from different countries in designing surveys for measurement of post-harvest losses of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables).
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: This technical report provides findings of a field test conducted in identified districts / study area in Zambia on the basis of sampling methodology for estimation of harvest and post-harvest losses of animal products (meat and milk) developed by the team led by Dr. Tauqueer Ahmad, Head, Division of Sample Surveys, Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, Institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR-IASRI), New Delhi, India. The Technical Report entitled “Findings from the field test conducted on estimating harvest and post-harvest losses in Zambia. Meat and milk” contains details of findings of the developed methodology implemented in Zambia including challenges encountered and lessons learnt. It is expected that this report will help the users from different countries in designing surveys for measurement of harvest and post-harvest losses of animal products (meat and milk).
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 is defined as the goal that “by 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses”. The e-learning course covers the sub-indicator 12.3.1. a Food Loss Index (FLI) which will aid countries in reducing food losses along production and supply chains. The lessons cover the index and its components, along with strategies and guidelines for collecting, integrating and modelling the necessary data from a variety of sources.
Lead authoring unit/office: FAO
Abstract: This paper, which is part of FAO Statistics Working Paper Series, delves into the rationale of the Food Loss Index, presenting the various elements of its methodology. It contains a set of definitional framework and scope of the index, it illustrates the rationale for estimating losses as the percentage of food quantities removed from the supply chain. The final section of the paper summarizes FAO’s approach to food loss data.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: These Guidelines are the result of a research project undertaken within the Global Strategy to improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSARS), a statistical capacity-building initiative whose Global Office is hosted by the Statistics Division of FAO. The Guidelines build upon methodologies presented in other papers, technical reports and manuals published by FAO and other organizations. They provide recent findings on the measurement of harvest and post-harvest losses in developing countries.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
Abstract: The objective of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 is to ‘Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’, with the more specific Target 12.3 which aims, “by 2030, to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.” The indicator for this target (Global Food Loss Index) was categorized as a Tier III indicator, meaning that the methodology, data collection mechanisms and a baseline needed to be fully developed, tested and adopted. This paper proposes the methodology for the Global Food Loss Index developed by FAO to measure and monitor losses for its up-grade to Tier II.
Lead authoring unit/office: Statistics Division (ESS)
