Claim: After harvest, Malawi loses as much as 30% of its food. The claim (archived here) was made in a news story that was published on April 29, 2025, by the online daily NyasaTimes. According to Elida Kazira, the Director of Local Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Malawi continues to lose up to 30% of its food after harvest, according to the publication.
Verdict: Partially True
Methodology
A systematic search for up-to-date and relevant information was conducted using online search engines. Search queries focused on:
- Official reports and data from Malawian government bodies.
- Publications and data from international organizations involved in food security and agriculture in Malawi and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Recent academic studies and research papers focusing on post-harvest losses, food security, and agricultural production in Malawi.
Evidence and Analysis
Losses in the range of 17% to 30% are commonly cited in national estimates, data for specific commodities that are at risk, and figures that cover the full food value chain or more comprehensive definitions of food waste, even though farm-level studies for major staple crops typically find lower loss percentages.
According to a groundbreaking study, losses for groundnuts, soy, and maize averaged about 12%, 8%, and 5%, respectively, when they happened. Premature harvesting, which is frequently done to deter theft (as indicated by 89% of 291 farmers questioned), contributes to losses, according to a more recent policy brief from Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Furthermore, according to a 2011 FAO/World Bank report assessment, cereal losses in sub-Saharan Africa exceeded 20%. The World Food Programme (WFP) has previously calculated that small-scale farmers in Malawi lose 10-20% of their maize during post-harvest handling and storage, and about 30% of their produced harvests within months.
However, in Malawi, the five-year RE-GAIN Project, spearheaded by AGRA Malawi, aims to decrease post-harvest food loss and increase food security for smallholder farmers. Food loss can be decreased by at least 35% by using climate-resilient techniques, such as improved storage, drying technology, and farmer training.
Conclusion
The claim that Malawi loses up to 30% of its food after harvest finds support in some estimates, often when referring to the broader food system, specific vulnerable commodities, or including food waste. Hence, it is PARTLY TRUE.
References
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/montgomery-ngwira-phd-15337b2b_luanar-policy-brief-immature-crop-harvest-activity-7192008089700909056-N02T
- https://cgspace.cgiar.org/items/05e6386a-65ba-431c-bcce-161f103aa11d
- https://reliefweb.int/report/world/missing-food-case-postharvest-grain-losses-sub-saharan-africa
- https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/africa-myths-and-facts/publication/is-post-harvest-loss-significant-in-sub-saharan-africa
This fact-check was produced by Collins Mtika of the Centre for Investigative Journalism Malawi (CIJM) as part of the African Fact-Checking Alliance’s (AFCA) incubation programme. It was produced with peer-mentorship from Code for Africa’s fact-checking initiative, PesaCheck, with financial support from Norway.
AFCA mentorship respects the journalistic independence of the researchers, offering access to advanced techniques and tools. Editorial decision-making remains with the Centre for Investigative Journalism Malawi. Want to learn more? Visit: https://factcheck.africa/
