Benin, Maize, 2018

Benin's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2018 was 258,941 tonnes or 16.8% which had an estimated value of more than 93 million US dollar, which corresponds to 2.3% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 903 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 Harvesting/field drying, Further drying, and then Household-level storage. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Alibori.

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 1165957
2012 1174564
2013 1345819
2014 1354344
2015 1286060
2016 1376683
2017 1514913
2018 1543974
2019 1580751
2020 1611615
Produced 1,543,974 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.8% / 258,941 tonnes / > 93 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.2289 Production quantity: 1,543,974 tonnes 16.8 Estimated PHL: 258,941 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 93.58 Remaining: 93.58%
Est. PHL: 6.42%
6.42 Remaining: 93.58%
Est. PHL: 6.42%
Further drying 89.58 Remaining: 89.58%
Est. PHL: 4%
4 Remaining: 89.58%
Est. PHL: 4%
Threshing and Shelling 88.26 Remaining: 88.26%
Est. PHL: 1.32%
1.32 Remaining: 88.26%
Est. PHL: 1.32%
Transport from field 85.90286 Remaining: 85.90286%
Est. PHL: 2.35714%
2.35714 Remaining: 85.90286%
Est. PHL: 2.35714%
Household-level storage 82.88905 Remaining: 82.88905%
Est. PHL: 3.01381%
3.01381 Remaining: 82.88905%
Est. PHL: 3.01381%
Transport to market 81.23905 Remaining: 81.23905%
Est. PHL: 1.65%
1.65 Remaining: 81.23905%
Est. PHL: 1.65%
Market storage 78.58905 Remaining: 78.58905%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 78.58905%
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

1,080,959

people, 9.4%


Children 1-3

2,511,055

children, 227.3%


Pregnant women 19-30

908,921

women, 744.6%


Men 31-50

804,647

men, 74.8%

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