Malawi, Maize, 2005

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2005 was 255,903 tonnes or 16.5%.

As for nutrition 887 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, 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 1,547,423 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.5% / 255,903 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.4627 Production quantity: 1,547,423 tonnes 16.5 Estimated PHL: 255,903 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 93.72487 Remaining: 93.72487%
Est. PHL: 6.27513% 		6.27513 Remaining: 93.72487%
Est. PHL: 6.27513%
Further drying 89.75302 Remaining: 89.75302%
Est. PHL: 3.97185% 		3.97185 Remaining: 89.75302%
Est. PHL: 3.97185%
Threshing and Shelling 88.38041 Remaining: 88.38041%
Est. PHL: 1.37261% 		1.37261 Remaining: 88.38041%
Est. PHL: 1.37261%
Transport from field 86.01071 Remaining: 86.01071%
Est. PHL: 2.3697% 		2.3697 Remaining: 86.01071%
Est. PHL: 2.3697%
Household-level storage 82.68453 Remaining: 82.68453%
Est. PHL: 3.32618% 		3.32618 Remaining: 82.68453%
Est. PHL: 3.32618%
Transport to market 81.05154 Remaining: 81.05154%
Est. PHL: 1.63299% 		1.63299 Remaining: 81.05154%
Est. PHL: 1.63299%
Market storage 78.40154 Remaining: 78.40154%
Est. PHL: 2.65% 		2.65 Remaining: 78.40154%
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

1,066,846

people, 5.6%

Children 1-3

2,467,371

children, 135.1%

Pregnant women 19-30

893,109

women, 960.5%

Men 31-50

790,649

men, 45.9%

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