Malawi, Maize, 2016

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2016 was 450,165 tonnes or 19.0% which had an estimated value of more than 148 million US dollar, which corresponds to 10.5% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 1,562 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 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 2,370,493 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 19.0% / 450,165 tonnes / > 148 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
81.0096 Production quantity: 2,370,493 tonnes 19.0 Estimated PHL: 450,165 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 93.69178 Remaining: 93.69178%
Est. PHL: 6.30822%
6.30822 Remaining: 93.69178%
Est. PHL: 6.30822%
Further drying 89.7135 Remaining: 89.7135%
Est. PHL: 3.97828%
3.97828 Remaining: 89.7135%
Est. PHL: 3.97828%
Threshing and Shelling 88.35289 Remaining: 88.35289%
Est. PHL: 1.36061%
1.36061 Remaining: 88.35289%
Est. PHL: 1.36061%
Transport from field 85.97177 Remaining: 85.97177%
Est. PHL: 2.38112%
2.38112 Remaining: 85.97177%
Est. PHL: 2.38112%
Household-level storage 77.74651 Remaining: 77.74651%
Est. PHL: 8.22526%
8.22526 Remaining: 77.74651%
Est. PHL: 8.22526%
Transport to market 76.10174 Remaining: 76.10174%
Est. PHL: 1.64477%
1.64477 Remaining: 76.10174%
Est. PHL: 1.64477%
Market storage 73.45174 Remaining: 73.45174%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 73.45174%
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

1,876,716

people, 9.8%


Children 1-3

4,340,418

children, 237.7%


Pregnant women 19-30

1,571,091

women, 1,689.6%


Men 31-50

1,390,852

men, 80.8%

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