Democratic Republic of the Congo, Maize, 2018

Democratic Republic of the Congo's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2018 was 376,224 tonnes or 17.2% which had an estimated value of more than 100 million US dollar, which corresponds to 1.1% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 1,361 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 1 million people, in terms of annual nutritional dietary energy requirements. In the value chain, the majority of the loss is estimated to be happening at Harvesting/field drying, Household-level storage, and then Further drying. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Katanga.

To view the list of studies used to estimate these losses, please see the References tab.

Production quantity and estimated postharvest losses

  • Production quantity (tonnes)
  • Estimated postharvest losses (tonnes)
2011–2021
2011 1892655
2012 1938043
2013 1986099
2014 2035345
2015 2039008
2016 2078179
2017 2186318
2018 2186055
2019 2138962
2020 1592911
Produced 2,186,055 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 17.2% / 376,224 tonnes / > 100 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
82.7898 Production quantity: 2,186,055 tonnes 17.2 Estimated PHL: 376,224 tonnes

See full postharvest losses data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes › | USD ›

Value chain

Production quantity and estimated postharvest losses in % per value chain step. Please note that once loss has occurred at harvesting, the percentage loss in the next stage is a percentage of what remained, not of the original amount.

  • Estimated % of crop left
  • Estimated % of crop lost
Amount remaining(%) Estimated postharvest loss(%)
Production 100 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
0 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
Harvesting/field drying 93.58 Remaining: 93.58%
Est. PHL: 6.42%
6.42 Remaining: 93.58%
Est. PHL: 6.42%
Further drying 89.58 Remaining: 89.58%
Est. PHL: 4%
4 Remaining: 89.58%
Est. PHL: 4%
Threshing and Shelling 88.26 Remaining: 88.26%
Est. PHL: 1.32%
1.32 Remaining: 88.26%
Est. PHL: 1.32%
Transport from field 85.90286 Remaining: 85.90286%
Est. PHL: 2.35714%
2.35714 Remaining: 85.90286%
Est. PHL: 2.35714%
Household-level storage 80.63911 Remaining: 80.63911%
Est. PHL: 5.26375%
5.26375 Remaining: 80.63911%
Est. PHL: 5.26375%
Transport to market 78.98911 Remaining: 78.98911%
Est. PHL: 1.65%
1.65 Remaining: 78.98911%
Est. PHL: 1.65%
Market storage 76.33911 Remaining: 76.33911%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 76.33911%
Est. PHL: 2.65%

See full value chain data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes › | USD ›

Nutrition

Number of people whose annual dietary requirements (in terms of energy, kcal) could have been met by consuming the maize that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

1,664,088

people, 2.0%


Children 1-3

3,784,296

children, 41.6%


Pregnant women 19-30

1,369,793

women, 138.0%


Men 31-50

1,212,647

men, 16.6%

See full nutritional impact data for Children 1–3 › | Pregnant women 19–30 › | Men 31–50 ›