Kenya, Maize, 2019

Kenya's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2019 was 659,778 tonnes or 16.7% which had an estimated value of more than 228 million US dollar, which corresponds to 0.7% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 2,388 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 2 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, Further drying, and then Market storage. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Rift Valley.

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 3243399
2012 3766160
2013 3134722
2014 3134722
2015 3134722
2016 3134722
2017 3134722
2018 3134722
2019 3961053
2020 3619374
Produced 3,961,053 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.7% / 659,778 tonnes / > 228 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.3434 Production quantity: 3,961,053 tonnes 16.7 Estimated PHL: 659,778 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 85.88393 Remaining: 85.88393%
Est. PHL: 2.37607%
2.37607 Remaining: 85.88393%
Est. PHL: 2.37607%
Household-level storage 83.35513 Remaining: 83.35513%
Est. PHL: 2.5288%
2.5288 Remaining: 83.35513%
Est. PHL: 2.5288%
Transport to market 81.70513 Remaining: 81.70513%
Est. PHL: 1.65%
1.65 Remaining: 81.70513%
Est. PHL: 1.65%
Market storage 79.05513 Remaining: 79.05513%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 79.05513%
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

2,810,461

people, 5.5%


Children 1-3

6,636,465

children, 153.6%


Pregnant women 19-30

2,402,186

women, 814.5%


Men 31-50

2,126,602

men, 39.5%

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