Malawi, Maize, 2014

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2014 was 775,926 tonnes or 19.5% which had an estimated value of more than 193 million US dollar, which corresponds to 11.1% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 2,692 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 3 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 3,978,123 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 19.5% / 775,926 tonnes / > 193 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
80.4952 Production quantity: 3,978,123 tonnes 19.5 Estimated PHL: 775,926 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 93.6976 Remaining: 93.6976%
Est. PHL: 6.3024%
6.3024 Remaining: 93.6976%
Est. PHL: 6.3024%
Further drying 89.72046 Remaining: 89.72046%
Est. PHL: 3.97714%
3.97714 Remaining: 89.72046%
Est. PHL: 3.97714%
Threshing and Shelling 88.35774 Remaining: 88.35774%
Est. PHL: 1.36272%
1.36272 Remaining: 88.35774%
Est. PHL: 1.36272%
Transport from field 85.98397 Remaining: 85.98397%
Est. PHL: 2.37377%
2.37377 Remaining: 85.98397%
Est. PHL: 2.37377%
Household-level storage 77.29925 Remaining: 77.29925%
Est. PHL: 8.68472%
8.68472 Remaining: 77.29925%
Est. PHL: 8.68472%
Transport to market 75.65338 Remaining: 75.65338%
Est. PHL: 1.64587%
1.64587 Remaining: 75.65338%
Est. PHL: 1.64587%
Market storage 73.00338 Remaining: 73.00338%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 73.00338%
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

3,234,800

people, 16.9%


Children 1-3

7,481,355

children, 409.8%


Pregnant women 19-30

2,708,009

women, 2,912.3%


Men 31-50

2,397,340

men, 139.3%

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