Ghana, Maize, 2021

Ghana's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2021 was 276,568 tonnes or 18.0% which had an estimated value of more than 134 million US dollar.

As for nutrition 965 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 Brong Ahafo.

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 1699135
2012 1949897
2013 1764477
2014 1768576
2015 1691642
2016 1721911
2017 2003109
2018 2306384
2019 1539485
2020 1539485
Produced 1,539,485 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 18.0% / 276,568 tonnes / > 134 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
82.035 Production quantity: 1,539,485 tonnes 18.0 Estimated PHL: 276,568 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 85.89982 Remaining: 85.89982%
Est. PHL: 2.36018%
2.36018 Remaining: 85.89982%
Est. PHL: 2.36018%
Household-level storage 80.67378 Remaining: 80.67378%
Est. PHL: 5.22604%
5.22604 Remaining: 80.67378%
Est. PHL: 5.22604%
Transport to market 80.67378 Remaining: 80.67378%
Est. PHL: 0%
0 Remaining: 80.67378%
Est. PHL: 0%
Market storage 80.67378 Remaining: 80.67378%
Est. PHL: 0%
0 Remaining: 80.67378%
Est. PHL: 0%

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

1,129,870

people, 3.8%


Children 1-3

2,681,991

children, 107.5%


Pregnant women 19-30

970,794

women, 456.6%


Men 31-50

859,422

men, 27.8%

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