Per capita, the amount of food available for human consumption was more than twice as high as in 1980. Food balance sheets indicate a clear improvement in production aggregates for the region as a whole, though the main food balance sheet items have remained relatively constant in relative terms since the 1980s (Figure 4.7). Animal feed has increased from 20 to 25% of total production, while waste subtracted from production has fallen from 17 to 13%. In the light of studies of maize in Benin, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria, the share of waste reported in food balance sheets could be overestimated (IITA, 2010a, IITA, 2010b, IITA, 2011a, IITA, 2011b).