Malawi, Maize, 2008

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2008 was 523,127 tonnes or 18.8% which had an estimated value of more than 181 million US dollar, which corresponds to 11.4% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 1,815 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 Household-level storage, Harvesting/field drying, and then Further drying. 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 2,777,438 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 18.8% / 523,127 tonnes / > 181 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
81.1651 Production quantity: 2,777,438 tonnes 18.8 Estimated PHL: 523,127 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 93.71578 Remaining: 93.71578%
Est. PHL: 6.28422%
6.28422 Remaining: 93.71578%
Est. PHL: 6.28422%
Further drying 89.74216 Remaining: 89.74216%
Est. PHL: 3.97362%
3.97362 Remaining: 89.74216%
Est. PHL: 3.97362%
Threshing and Shelling 88.37285 Remaining: 88.37285%
Est. PHL: 1.36931%
1.36931 Remaining: 88.37285%
Est. PHL: 1.36931%
Transport from field 86.00252 Remaining: 86.00252%
Est. PHL: 2.37033%
2.37033 Remaining: 86.00252%
Est. PHL: 2.37033%
Household-level storage 78.15065 Remaining: 78.15065%
Est. PHL: 7.85187%
7.85187 Remaining: 78.15065%
Est. PHL: 7.85187%
Transport to market 76.51179 Remaining: 76.51179%
Est. PHL: 1.63886%
1.63886 Remaining: 76.51179%
Est. PHL: 1.63886%
Market storage 73.86179 Remaining: 73.86179%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 73.86179%
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

2,180,892

people, 11.4%


Children 1-3

5,043,908

children, 276.3%


Pregnant women 19-30

1,825,732

women, 1,963.5%


Men 31-50

1,616,280

men, 93.9%

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