Post-harvest losses and productive efficiency in rice farming systems of Bunkeya, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rice losses and productive efficiency


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Authors

  • Lucien Nkulu UNIVERSITE DE LUBUMBASHI
  • John Tshomba Kalumbu
  • Magnifique Chuimika Mulumbati
  • Marc Mbuyu Kazadia Hamba
  • Jules Nkulu Mwine Fyama
  • Deborah Madiya Mutombo
  • Moise Kalambaie Bimn

Keywords:

Rice farming systems, post-harvest losses, technical efficiency, Farm typology, productive performance, stochastic frontier analysis, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

This study analyzed the relationship between post-harvest losses, technical efficiency, and rice productivity in farming systems in Bunkeya, a rural rice-producing area in south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were collected from 240 rice producers from November 2023 to June 2024 across six villages. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), regression models, and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) were used to establish farm typologies and assess productive efficiency. Three farm categories were identified: small-scale, intermediate, and large-scale producers. Smallholders achieved the highest field yield per hectare (966.8 kg ha-1) but also recorded the highest cumulative post-harvest losses (44.5%). Large-scale producers showed lower harvest losses (11.3%) and the highest technical efficiency score (0.91), although processing losses remained high (30.3%). Intermediate producers exhibited transitional inefficiencies and moderate technical efficiency (0.89). Overall post-harvest losses exceeded 40% across all farm categories. The average technical efficiency score was 0.87, suggesting that rice output could increase by approximately 13% without additional input use if existing inefficiencies were reduced. Regression results further indicated that harvest losses significantly and negatively affected final marketable rice output. These findings suggest that productive efficiency is associated not only with agronomic intensification and farm size, but also with effective post-harvest management and operational coordination throughout the rice value chain.

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Submitted

2026-04-18

Published

2026-07-02

Data Availability Statement

The dataset used and analyzed during the current study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request

Issue

Vol. 63 No. 2 (2026): April-June

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 ORYZA-An International Journal of Rice

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Nkulu, L., Tshomba Kalumbu, J. ., Mulumbati, M. C. ., Hamba, M. M. K. ., Fyama, J. N. M. ., Mutombo, D. M. ., & Bimn, M. K. (2026). Post-harvest losses and productive efficiency in rice farming systems of Bunkeya, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Rice losses and productive efficiency. ORYZA-An International Journal of Rice, 63(2), 124-139. https://epubs.icar.org.in/index.php/OIJR/article/view/178222