Malawi, Maize, 2017

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2017 was 668,295 tonnes or 19.3% which had an estimated value of more than 128 million US dollar, which corresponds to 7.8% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 2,318 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 3,464,139 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 19.3% / 668,295 tonnes / > 128 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
80.7082 Production quantity: 3,464,139 tonnes 19.3 Estimated PHL: 668,295 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 93.69216 Remaining: 93.69216%
Est. PHL: 6.30784%
6.30784 Remaining: 93.69216%
Est. PHL: 6.30784%
Further drying 89.71396 Remaining: 89.71396%
Est. PHL: 3.9782%
3.9782 Remaining: 89.71396%
Est. PHL: 3.9782%
Threshing and Shelling 88.35321 Remaining: 88.35321%
Est. PHL: 1.36075%
1.36075 Remaining: 88.35321%
Est. PHL: 1.36075%
Transport from field 85.97801 Remaining: 85.97801%
Est. PHL: 2.3752%
2.3752 Remaining: 85.97801%
Est. PHL: 2.3752%
Household-level storage 77.39727 Remaining: 77.39727%
Est. PHL: 8.58074%
8.58074 Remaining: 77.39727%
Est. PHL: 8.58074%
Transport to market 75.75215 Remaining: 75.75215%
Est. PHL: 1.64512%
1.64512 Remaining: 75.75215%
Est. PHL: 1.64512%
Market storage 73.10215 Remaining: 73.10215%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 73.10215%
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

2,786,091

people, 14.5%


Children 1-3

6,443,593

children, 352.9%


Pregnant women 19-30

2,332,373

women, 2,508.3%


Men 31-50

2,064,798

men, 120.0%

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