Postharvest grain system in Ecuador and small-scale farmers' perceptions of gender roles and postharvest loss

Smallholder farmers in Ecuador are the main producers of staple grains, yet postharvest losses remain one of the major constraints they face. This study aimed to document postharvest practices, identify key determinants of grain loss, and explore gendered perceptions of participation in postharvest activities among small-scale farmers in Ecuador. Stratified sampling was used to survey 613 farmers, collecting sociodemographic, production, postharvest, and gender-perception information. Maize monoculture predominates, with small areas cultivated (≈2.5 ha) by manual planting and a combined use of native and hybrid varieties. Drying is mainly on the plant while harvesting, shelling, and cleaning of grains are carried out manually. Nearly 70.0% of farmers store shelled grains (74.6%) in polypropylene sacks (32.3%) for 3 to 5 months. Losses are high, with 74.5% and 85.0% of farmers experiencing grain loss during drying and storage, respectively. The main postharvest pests during storage identified by farmers are maize weevil ( Sitophilus zeamais) and Angoumois grain moth ( Sitotroga cerealella), with chemical products being the most widely used (96.0%) control method. A logistic model indicates that education level, harvest and drying practices, and access to improved technologies significantly influence storage loss risk. Women and men farmers had different perceptions, with men reporting higher levels of participation overall and underestimating women's involvement across most production and postharvest stages. These findings highlight the need for region-specific interventions, including improved drying and hermetic storage technologies, gender-sensitive capacity building, and strengthened pest monitoring systems, to reduce postharvest losses, mitigate climate-related risks, and enhance food security.