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How sorghum could be the answer to food and climate challenges
Sorghum, an ancient grain first domesticated in Africa, has been a dietary staple in regions like Asia, Africa, and India for millennia. However, its prominence has waned over time due to market shifts favouring crops like maize and wheat.
Source: Unsplash.com
Why sorghum?
If maize, wheat, and rice are serving the population, why should sorghum get special attention?
One of the primary reasons is food security, which is a pressing issue in many parts of the world. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), 282 million people in Africa remain undernourished, and over one billion lack access to healthy diets. While South Africa is regarded as food secure at a national level, household-level food insecurity persists.
Food security and nutrition
Food security is not only about having a full stomach; it also means consuming sufficient nutrients to thrive physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively.
The local statistics are alarming:
- Nutrient-poor diets: 58.1% of South African households rely on nutrient-poor food due to the high cost or inaccessibility of fresh produce.
- Child stunting: 27% of children under the age of five are stunted, according to the 2016 SA Demographic and Health Survey. Stunting limits children’s potential, both physically and cognitively.
Optimal nutrition depends partly on dietary variety, but many households worldwide follow a limited diet. Financial constraints play a role, as do habit, familiarity, and limited availability of alternative ingredients. The latter is heavily influenced by modern commercial agriculture systems, which prioritise economies of scale to meet the needs of a growing global population in the face of diminishing resources and increasing climate instability.
Why sorghum is a valuable alternative
Sorghum is a highly nutritious grain, naturally gluten-free, and rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins. However, its value extends beyond nutrition:
- Climate resilience: Sorghum is a hardy crop well-suited to drought and heatwave conditions, making it an excellent choice in a world grappling with climate change.
- Adaptability: It grows well in marginal soils and requires fewer inputs, such as fertilisers, than other grains.
- Multiple income streams: Sorghum can be used for human consumption (in foods and beverages such as traditional African beer), animal feed, and biofuel production.
Challenges facing sorghum
Despite its advantages, sorghum faces significant barriers:
- Lower yields: In seasons with good rainfall, maize outyields sorghum.
- Limited research and development: Maize benefits from extensive R&D programmes that have produced high-yield cultivars adaptable to various conditions, whereas sorghum has not received similar global attention.
- Market volatility: Farmers are discouraged by fluctuating prices and pest-related yield losses, especially from birds.
- Taxation: In South Africa, sorghum is the only grain subjected to VAT, which undermines its competitiveness.
Current state of the sorghum industry in South Africa
Although sorghum has not disappeared, it has become a marginalised crop in South Africa. The decline in traditional African beer consumption has reduced local demand over the past decade. Additionally, exports to Botswana have ceased as the country has become self-sufficient and now exports sorghum to South Africa. These factors have transformed South Africa from a net exporter to a net importer of sorghum, primarily from the US.
Lessons from global success stories
The feasibility study conducted by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) highlights examples from the US and Australia, where sorghum is more competitive than maize and benefits from robust R&D programmes, such as those led by the Queensland Sorghum Alliance and Texas A&M University.
In the US, promotional efforts by the United Sorghum Check-off Program have increased sorghum consumption by 250% in just five years, despite the country having no historical ties to the grain. South Africa, as the origin of sorghum, has untapped potential to replicate and exceed this success.
The revival strategy
In 2022, the DSI commissioned a sorghum value chain upgrade feasibility study to assess the state and potential of the local industry. Given that sorghum is the second most important grain in Africa after maize and the fifth globally (after maize, rice, wheat, and barley), the study set ambitious goals:
- Boost local production to 500,000 tonnes annually.
- Increase local consumption by 15% per year.
- Expand exports by 250,000 tonnes annually.
Key initiatives
To meet these goals, the following steps are planned:
- New cultivation areas: 100,000 hectares of sorghum will be planted.
- Processing hub: A rural food-processing hub will be established in the Eastern Cape to create entrepreneurial opportunities.
- Tax relief: The National Treasury will be lobbied to remove VAT on sorghum.
Coordinated efforts through the Sorghum Cluster Initiative
Driving these initiatives is the Sorghum Cluster Initiative (SCI), which brings together stakeholders to enhance the sorghum value chain from seed development to marketing.
Key partners include:
- The Department of Agriculture
- The Department of Science and Innovation
- The Sorghum Forum (members include Grain SA, the National Agricultural Marketing Council, Southern African Grain Laboratories, and the South African National Seed Organisation).
One important player in this effort is Pannar, which has been a key participant in South Africa’s sorghum industry for decades. With one of the oldest sorghum breeding programmes in the country, Pannar continues to supply farmers with improved cultivars suited to local conditions. For example, Pannar's commitment to advancing the sorghum sector includes actively participating in industry trials and supporting small-scale farmers through initiatives like seed donations and financial contributions.
By aligning efforts and drawing on lessons from international success stories, South Africa has the opportunity to revitalise its sorghum industry and leverage its rich legacy with this ancient grain.
