Kenya, All cereals, 2018

In 2018, Kenya's annual estimated postharvest losses were 522,480 tonnes for maize, 51,335 tonnes for wheat, 22,370 tonnes for sorghum, 10,971 tonnes for millet. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 16.7% for maize and 12.5% for barley. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for maize: over 155 million USD, which corresponds to 0.5% of national agricultural GDP.

Within the value chain, for all crops the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying. Within Kenya, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Rift Valley, for wheat in Rift Valley, for sorghum in Eastern, for millet in Eastern. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 2,225,610 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Kenya in 2018

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Wheat Sorghum Millet
Production quantity in tonnes 3,134,722 tonnes 387,788 tonnes 177,151 tonnes 86,079 tonnes
Loss % 16.7% 13.2% 12.6% 12.7%
Losses in tonnes 522,480 tonnes 51,335 tonnes 22,370 tonnes 10,971 tonnes
Financial value > 155 million USD – – –
% of national agricultural GDP 0.5% – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 2,225,610 people – 89,236 people 42,343 people

See full postharvest losses data tables with loss percentage › | losses in tonnes › | losses in USD › | financial impact › | nutritional losses ›

Postharvest loss estimates per value chain step

  • Estimated % of crop left at this value chain stage
  • Estimated % of crop lost at this value chain stage
Harvesting/field drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 93.58 Crop left: 93.58% 6.4 Estimated PHL: 6.4%
Wheat 95.57 Crop left: 95.57% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Sorghum 95.45 Crop left: 95.45% 4.6 Estimated PHL: 4.6%
Millet 96.50 Crop left: 96.50% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Sorghum 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Millet 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Threshing and Shelling
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 88.26 Crop left: 88.26% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 3.6 Estimated PHL: 3.6%
Millet 94.50 Crop left: 94.50% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Millet 92.18 Crop left: 92.18% 2.3 Estimated PHL: 2.3%
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 85.89 Crop left: 85.89% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Wheat 89.57 Crop left: 89.57% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Sorghum 89.68 Crop left: 89.68% 2.2 Estimated PHL: 2.2%
Millet 89.68 Crop left: 89.68% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 83.35 Crop left: 83.35% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Wheat 89.21 Crop left: 89.21% 0.4 Estimated PHL: 0.4%
Sorghum 89.46 Crop left: 89.46% 0.2 Estimated PHL: 0.2%
Millet 89.10 Crop left: 89.10% 0.6 Estimated PHL: 0.6%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 81.70 Crop left: 81.70% 1.7 Estimated PHL: 1.7%
Wheat 88.21 Crop left: 88.21% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Sorghum 88.46 Crop left: 88.46% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Millet 88.10 Crop left: 88.10% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 79.05 Crop left: 79.05% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Wheat 85.56 Crop left: 85.56% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Sorghum 85.81 Crop left: 85.81% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Millet 85.45 Crop left: 85.45% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%

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