Rwanda, All cereals, 2020

In 2020, Rwanda's annual estimated postharvest losses were 73,192 tonnes for maize, 21,150 tonnes for sorghum, 15,423 tonnes for rice, 1,806 tonnes for wheat. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 16.3% for maize and 12.4% for sorghum. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for maize: over 22 million USD.

Within the value chain the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying for maize, at harvesting/field drying for sorghum, at harvesting/field drying for rice, at household-level storage for wheat. Within Rwanda, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Eastern, for sorghum in Eastern, for rice in Eastern, for wheat in Northern. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 311,844 people.

To view the list of studies used to estimate these losses, please see the References tab.

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Rwanda in 2020

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Sorghum Rice Wheat
Production quantity in tonnes 448,632 tonnes 170,489 tonnes 116,503 tonnes 12,811 tonnes
Loss % 16.3% 12.4% 13.2% 14.1%
Losses in tonnes 73,192 tonnes 21,150 tonnes 15,423 tonnes 1,806 tonnes
Financial value > 22 million USD – > 13 million USD –
% of national agricultural GDP – – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 311,844 people 84,386 people 64,987 people –

See full postharvest losses data tables with loss percentage › | losses in tonnes › | losses in USD › | nutritional losses ›

Postharvest loss estimates per value chain step

  • Estimated % of crop left at this value chain stage
  • Estimated % of crop lost at this value chain stage
Harvesting/field drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 93.58 Crop left: 93.58% 6.4 Estimated PHL: 6.4%
Sorghum 95.45 Crop left: 95.45% 4.6 Estimated PHL: 4.6%
Rice 95.60 Crop left: 95.60% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Wheat 95.57 Crop left: 95.57% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Sorghum 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Rice 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Threshing and Shelling
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 88.26 Crop left: 88.26% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 3.6 Estimated PHL: 3.6%
Rice 92.46 Crop left: 92.46% 3.1 Estimated PHL: 3.1%
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Rice 89.96 Crop left: 89.96% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 85.90 Crop left: 85.90% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Sorghum 89.68 Crop left: 89.68% 2.2 Estimated PHL: 2.2%
Rice 88.71 Crop left: 88.71% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Wheat 89.57 Crop left: 89.57% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 83.27 Crop left: 83.27% 2.6 Estimated PHL: 2.6%
Sorghum 86.99 Crop left: 86.99% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Rice 88.01 Crop left: 88.01% 0.7 Estimated PHL: 0.7%
Wheat 84.70 Crop left: 84.70% 4.9 Estimated PHL: 4.9%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 81.62 Crop left: 81.62% 1.7 Estimated PHL: 1.7%
Sorghum 86.99 Crop left: 86.99% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Rice 87.01 Crop left: 87.01% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Wheat 83.70 Crop left: 83.70% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 78.97 Crop left: 78.97% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Sorghum 86.99 Crop left: 86.99% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Rice 84.36 Crop left: 84.36% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Wheat 81.05 Crop left: 81.05% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%

See full value chain data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes › | USD ›