Abstract
Kazakhstan harvests roughly 20 million tonnes of grain annually, yet an estimated 25-30% never reaches end consumers due to losses scattered across the supply chain from field to market [1]. This research evaluated a supply chain risk advisory model delivered through agricultural extension linkages to reduce post-harvest wheat and barley losses among 362 farming households in Akmola and North Kazakhstan oblasts between March 2021 and November 2023. Extension advisors trained in supply chain risk assessment provided pre-harvest, post-harvest, and market linkage guidance through a structured seasonal intervention cycle. Total post-harvest loss decreased from 28.4% to 14.7% of harvested volume, a reduction of 48.2% (p<0.001). The largest absolute reductions occurred at the threshing stage (-60.7%) and harvesting stage (-57.1%), where mechanization advice and harvest timing optimization had the greatest effect. Net farm revenue increased by 23.6% among participating households, and the cost-benefit ratio of the advisory program was 1:4.7. The results position supply chain risk advisory as a high-return extension function that addresses the gap between production-focused extension and the market-oriented needs of grain-producing households.