Malawi, Maize, 2003

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2003 was 548,427 tonnes or 16.9%.

As for nutrition 1,903 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 Household-level storage. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Central Region.

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 3895181
2012 3623924
2013 3641440
2014 3978123
2015 2776277
2016 2370493
2017 3464139
2018 2697959
2019 3391924
2020 3785713
Produced 3,247,014 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.9% / 548,427 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.1098 Production quantity: 3,247,014 tonnes 16.9 Estimated PHL: 548,427 tonnes

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

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 93.70221 Remaining: 93.70221%
Est. PHL: 6.29779% 		6.29779 Remaining: 93.70221%
Est. PHL: 6.29779%
Further drying 89.72596 Remaining: 89.72596%
Est. PHL: 3.97625% 		3.97625 Remaining: 89.72596%
Est. PHL: 3.97625%
Threshing and Shelling 88.36157 Remaining: 88.36157%
Est. PHL: 1.36439% 		1.36439 Remaining: 88.36157%
Est. PHL: 1.36439%
Transport from field 85.98766 Remaining: 85.98766%
Est. PHL: 2.37391% 		2.37391 Remaining: 85.98766%
Est. PHL: 2.37391%
Household-level storage 82.03344 Remaining: 82.03344%
Est. PHL: 3.95422% 		3.95422 Remaining: 82.03344%
Est. PHL: 3.95422%
Transport to market 80.39323 Remaining: 80.39323%
Est. PHL: 1.64021% 		1.64021 Remaining: 80.39323%
Est. PHL: 1.64021%
Market storage 77.74323 Remaining: 77.74323%
Est. PHL: 2.65% 		2.65 Remaining: 77.74323%
Est. PHL: 2.65%

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

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

2,286,364

people, 11.9%

Children 1-3

5,287,839

children, 289.6%

Pregnant women 19-30

1,914,027

women, 2,058.4%

Men 31-50

1,694,446

men, 98.5%

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