Malawi, Maize, 2015

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2015 was 542,442 tonnes or 19.5% which had an estimated value of more than 151 million US dollar, which corresponds to 8.6% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 1,882 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 2,776,277 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 19.5% / 542,442 tonnes / > 151 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
80.4615 Production quantity: 2,776,277 tonnes 19.5 Estimated PHL: 542,442 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 93.67685 Remaining: 93.67685%
Est. PHL: 6.32315%
6.32315 Remaining: 93.67685%
Est. PHL: 6.32315%
Further drying 89.69568 Remaining: 89.69568%
Est. PHL: 3.98117%
3.98117 Remaining: 89.69568%
Est. PHL: 3.98117%
Threshing and Shelling 88.34049 Remaining: 88.34049%
Est. PHL: 1.35519%
1.35519 Remaining: 88.34049%
Est. PHL: 1.35519%
Transport from field 85.96083 Remaining: 85.96083%
Est. PHL: 2.37966%
2.37966 Remaining: 85.96083%
Est. PHL: 2.37966%
Household-level storage 77.36944 Remaining: 77.36944%
Est. PHL: 8.59139%
8.59139 Remaining: 77.36944%
Est. PHL: 8.59139%
Transport to market 75.72638 Remaining: 75.72638%
Est. PHL: 1.64306%
1.64306 Remaining: 75.72638%
Est. PHL: 1.64306%
Market storage 73.07638 Remaining: 73.07638%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 73.07638%
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

2,261,415

people, 11.8%


Children 1-3

5,230,138

children, 286.5%


Pregnant women 19-30

1,893,141

women, 2,036.0%


Men 31-50

1,675,956

men, 97.4%

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