Malawi, Maize, 2006

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2006 was 468,057 tonnes or 16.8%.

As for nutrition 1,624 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 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 2,777,956 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.8% / 468,057 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.151 Production quantity: 2,777,956 tonnes 16.8 Estimated PHL: 468,057 tonnes

See full postharvest losses data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes ›

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 93.71576 Remaining: 93.71576%
Est. PHL: 6.28424% 		6.28424 Remaining: 93.71576%
Est. PHL: 6.28424%
Further drying 89.74214 Remaining: 89.74214%
Est. PHL: 3.97362% 		3.97362 Remaining: 89.74214%
Est. PHL: 3.97362%
Threshing and Shelling 88.37283 Remaining: 88.37283%
Est. PHL: 1.36931% 		1.36931 Remaining: 88.37283%
Est. PHL: 1.36931%
Transport from field 86.00364 Remaining: 86.00364%
Est. PHL: 2.36919% 		2.36919 Remaining: 86.00364%
Est. PHL: 2.36919%
Household-level storage 82.10942 Remaining: 82.10942%
Est. PHL: 3.89422% 		3.89422 Remaining: 82.10942%
Est. PHL: 3.89422%
Transport to market 80.47291 Remaining: 80.47291%
Est. PHL: 1.63651% 		1.63651 Remaining: 80.47291%
Est. PHL: 1.63651%
Market storage 77.82291 Remaining: 77.82291%
Est. PHL: 2.65% 		2.65 Remaining: 77.82291%
Est. PHL: 2.65%

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

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

1,951,309

people, 10.2%

Children 1-3

4,512,933

children, 247.2%

Pregnant women 19-30

1,633,536

women, 1,756.8%

Men 31-50

1,446,133

men, 84.0%

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