Drivers and Impacts of Postharvest Losses in Mango Production for Poverty Reduction Among Smallholder Farmers in Kintampo North Municipality, Ghana

Mango is a key export crop that contributes to Ghana's economic growth. However, postharvest losses threaten the industry and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and traders. Moreover, limited empirical studies assess the extent, constraints, and impact of these losses. The aim of this study was to quantify the amount of mango fruit wasted at the farm level, identify the causes of these losses, and assess their impact on farm income. Using a structured questionnaire, data was solicited from 297 mango producers from Kintampo North municipality in the transitional agroecological zone of Ghana. Disaggregating mango postharvest losses into quantitative and qualitative losses, the data show that approximately 137 kg (2.74 of 50 kg boxes) and 85 kg (1.7 of 50 kg boxes) are wasted per hectare respectively. In terms of economic value, the overall quantity of mango lost at the farm level translates into excess of Gh¢334 (US$32). Results from the Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) model indicate that qualitative mango postharvest losses are significantly influenced by factors such as age, landownership, farm size, and credit access, whereas quantitative losses are associated with gender, family size, farm size, credit access, and type of laborer. Generalized propensity score matching (GPSM) analysis reveals that higher mango postharvest losses significantly reduce farm profitability, with increasing losses leading to declining profit margins. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, including improved credit access, farmer training, and postharvest management technologies, to reduce losses and enhance farmers' income. The study also contributes to addressing postharvest losses in ways that align with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), and SDG 13 (climate action).