Aims:The aim of the study was to identify postharvest activities of yam farming households in North-East Zone of Benue State, Nigeria and to assess the impact of losses from the yam postharvest activities on standard of living of yam farming households in North-East Zone of Benue State, Nigeria. Study Design: Survey research design was adopted for the study. Place and Duration of Study: North-East Zone of Benue State, Nigeria. Methodology: The study purposively selected three (3) local government areas (Ukum, Katsina-Ala and Logo) that are most prominent in yam production in North-East Zone of Benue State from where a total sample size of two hundred and four (204) yam farming households were drawn from three local government areas of North-East Zone of Benue state using multi-stage cluster sampling technique. Agba et al.; JALSI, 21(1): 1-9, 2019; Article no.JALSI.49345 2 Results: Almost all the farmers 99% (202) store their yams and majority of the farmers are also involved in yam marketing. Majority of the famers 84% (172) always need to transport their yams. This could be in order to access distant markets which make for more gain. The few who do not need to transport their produce could be those who sale at farm gates. This could also be the reason why only a few 64% (130) majority take time to sort, grade and clean their produce. With the computed f-statistic value of 512.110 which was significantly higher than the tabulated f-value of 16.26 at 1% level of significance and 5.05 at 5% level of significance, therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. This implies that, yam loss from yam postharvest activities noted above has a significant negative impact on the standard of living of yam farming households in the study area by reducing their household income (99%), affecting their access to health care services (89%), access to education (64%), access to good housing (84%) and access to sufficient quality food (98%). Original Research Article Conclusion:The study thus concludes that, yam loss during postharvest activities such as: yam handling, yam storage, yam transportation, yam sorting / grading / cleaning and yam marketing has significant negative impact on the standard of living of yam farming households in the study area, by reducing their household income, affecting their access to health care services, access to education, access to good housing and access to sufficient quality food. The study recommends communication of knowledge on modern yam storage methods to yam farmers in the study area by agricultural extension agents and building of yam processing factories in the study area so as to add economic value to yam and consequently improve the standard of living of yam farming households in the study area.

The study analyzed the post-harvest losses of yam in North-East Zone of Benue state, Nigeria. It ascertained the level of postharvest losses of yam, identified the factors precipitating postharvest losses of yam identified the strategies adopted by yam farmers for reduction of postharvest losses of yam in North-East Zone of Benue State, Nigeria. The study consisted of a total sample size of two hundred and four (204) yam farmers drawn from three local government areas of North-East Zone of Benue state. The result identified pest attack, storage method, temperature, disease and infection, poor transportation, theft, underdeveloped market and exposure of yam to sunlight as factors precipitating post-harvest losses in the area. It also shows the result of the assessment of yam farmers in the study area regarding the level of losses they experience at various stages of yam postharvest activities. The value of the coefficient of multiple determinants (R2), is 0808, which implies that about 80.8% of the postharvest losses of yam in the study area is explained by the explanatory variables included in the model. The F-statistic of the lead equation is significant at 1% (28.122). Coefficients of pest attack disease and infections of yam, poor transportation facility, poor handling method used, excessive exposure of yam to sunlight, were positively related to postharvest losses of yam in the study area at 1% level of significant. Coefficient of storage method, temperature of the area and theft of yam in the study area were positive and significant to postharvest losses of yam at 5% level of significant. Given that, the computed F- value (28.122), was significantly higher than the tabulated F-value (9.33), at 1% level of significance, and (3.11) at 5% level of significance; the null hypothesis was therefore rejected and the alternative hypothesis was accepted. The study recommends provision of yam flour processing factory, which will provide a ready yam market that will reduce postharvest losses of yams and also increase the economic value of yams in the area.