Sorghums Silent Struggle in Battles for Relevance

Mar 16 , 2025
By Amare S. Hailessilase

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Sorghum is not merely another cereal for Ethiopia but is woven deeply into the fabric of its rural livelihoods. Ethiopian farmers highly regard sorghum, valuing its stalk and grain. However, its production faces major issues such as parasitic weeds and recurrent droughts. Addressing these head-on is crucial for unlocking sorghum's full potential and ensuring food security across the continent, argues Amare S. Hailessilase, a researcher at Purdue University.

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Long recognised as a cradle of crop biodiversity, Ethiopia has historically ranked sorghum third among its cereals, after teff and maise. Sorghum is not merely another cereal for Ethiopia but is woven deeply into the fabric of its rural livelihoods. However, recent official efforts to ramp up wheat production have pushed it down to fourth place. Yet, the sorghum crop remains vital, comprising between 17pc to 20pc of the total cereal grain output, primarily grown by smallholder farmers in the moisture stressed areas of Oromia, Amhara, and Tigray.

Globally, sorghum is essential for over half a billion people, positioned fifth among cultivated cereals due to its resilience in drought-prone regions. The United States leads worldwide sorghum production at 8.73 million metric tons annually, followed by Nigeria, Brazil, India, and Mexico. With an annual output of 4.1 million metric tons, Ethiopia is ahead of Argentina and Sudan.

Sorghum is a powerhouse crop with immense economic potential, thanks to its versatile applications ranging from food and livestock feed to bioenergy and brewing. Ethiopian farmers highly regard sorghum, valuing its stalk and grain. Africa's prowess in low-input farming makes sorghum an essential player in addressing rapid population growth and persistent food insecurity. However, sorghum production faces major hurdles: Striga, a parasitic weed, and recurrent droughts. Between 2005 and 2015, cereal losses due to drought alone surpassed 29 billion dollars, while Striga infestation inflicted an annual damage of approximately 7.4 billion dollars. Tackling these challenges head-on is crucial for unlocking sorghum's full potential and ensuring food security across the continent.

Despite its place in agriculture, Ethiopia has struggled for over three decades to tap into the commercial potential of sorghum. To address persistent issues such as drought stress, infestations by the parasitic weed striga, and other environmental pressures, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) has partnered closely with regional institutes, seed companies, local universities, and prominent international institutions. Its global partners include universities such as Purdue, Kansas State, and Queensland, as well as leading agricultural research organisations like ICRISAT, CIMMYT, ACIAR, and Canada's IDRC.

Ethiopian researchers have introduced over 37 improved sorghum varieties tailored specifically for various climates and regions through these partnerships. Of these, 24 varieties were developed for dry lowland areas, five for highland regions, and seven suited for intermediate zones. These innovations have brought renewed optimism about sorghum’s ability to bolster agricultural productivity across Ethiopia.

Extensive pre-extension trials and demonstrations involving more than 71,102 farmers have recently highlighted the impressive yields achievable by adopting improved sorghum varieties. Farmers experimenting with varieties such as Melkam, Dekeba, Argity, Assosa-1, Girana-1, Gobiye, and Abshir have reported remarkable results, doubling the country's average yields. Open-pollinated varieties reached up to 4.8tns a hectare, while hybrid varieties achieved yields as high as 5.8tns, far exceeding the national average yield.

These signal progress but also the need for increased government investment and support from agricultural stakeholders to sustain this momentum. Over the past two decades, sorghum cultivation has grown substantially, now spanning over 1.7 million hectares. Average productivity has reached approximately 2.71tns a hectare, notably higher than the global average of around 1.5tns. Productivity also surpassed regional benchmarks, such as Nigeria’s 1.16tns and Sudan’s 0.6tns a hectare.

Despite these gains, there remains considerable untapped genetic potential within sorghum varieties. Current annual genetic yield improvements remain modest at approximately 0.85pc. Ethiopian scientists are increasingly adopting advanced breeding techniques, including trait introgression, marker-assisted selection for drought tolerance and striga resistance, speed breeding methods, electronic data gathering, and advanced phenotyping technologies to address this limitation. These sophisticated strategies promise faster crop improvement, which is essential to securing Ethiopia’s agricultural future and enhancing national food security.

Hybrid sorghum seeds, which have revolutionised maise and rice farming globally over the past 75 years, hold particular promise. However, sorghum hybrid adoption remains low across Africa, including Ethiopia. Scientists suggest the vast biodiversity found within Ethiopian sorghum landraces—traditional varieties and germplasm with unique genetic attributes—could catalyse notable improvements. The urgency to exploit these resources increases alongside mounting regional food demands.

Despite the concerted efforts of the EIAR, regional research institutes, seed enterprises, and regional bureaus of agriculture to promote early maturing, drought, and striga-tolerant sorghum varieties, the adoption rate remains alarmingly low at less than 35pc. The primary culprits? Inefficient sorghum seed distribution systems, lack of awareness, and the financial hurdles sorghum farmers face. Consequently, the seed supply chain is often inconsistent and unreliable, compelling farmers to rely on older and less productive varieties. This struggle is exacerbated by dry spells and moisture stress, which hinder the cultivation of long-maturing traditional varieties.

Transforming sorghum seed into a profitable business is crucial to attracting seed producers. We can overcome these barriers by encouraging effective public-private partnerships, offering government subsidies, providing affordable credit, and implementing comprehensive training programs. Enhanced infrastructure and market access would empower smallholder farmers to transition from subsistence farming to lucrative ventures, unlocking the full potential of sorghum as a robust and resilient crop.

Researchers and policymakers alike should envision Ethiopia as a global hub of sorghum innovation, capitalising on its indigenous genetic resources and homegrown scientific advancements. Improved sorghum varieties, both open-pollinated and hybrid, represent a major opportunity not only to meet domestic food demands but also to penetrate international markets, increasingly keen on sorghum’s use in animal feed, brewing, and industry.

However, a perhaps greater obstacle is the retention of scientific talent, with high turnover threatening research continuity. This economic pressure frequently forces experienced scientists to leave public institutions for more lucrative positions, disrupting breeding programs and weakening essential institutional knowledge. At EIAR’s Melkassa Research Centre, situated near Adama (Nazareth), the local anecdote often cited by staff illustrates this issue. Monthly rent in Adama averages around 12,000 Br, excluding utilities, posing a serious challenge for researchers, especially those supporting families, to survive comfortably on their modest salaries.

Addressing the issue of researcher retention should be paramount. Increased investment in salaries, housing allowances, and improved working conditions would sustain the pace of innovation and ensure that breakthroughs consistently reach farmers. Such investments are essential to preserve the momentum in sorghum research and production.

Ethiopia’s successful collaboration model — integrating researchers, extension services, farmers, and policymakers — could become a blueprint for other African countries to enhance cereal yields amid climate and economic uncertainties. The recent yield improvements should serve as evidence of its capability to lead. The ongoing modernisation, strategic partnerships, and stronger support for the scientific community will consolidate Ethiopia’s position as a pioneer in sorghum research and contribute to food security across sub-Saharan Africa.

Yet, realising this potential demands more than technological advancement. It requires sustained commitments to fundamental research, innovative policy frameworks, and active collaboration between scientists and the smallholder farmers responsible for the crop’s production.

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PUBLISHED ON Mar 16, 2025 [ VOL 25 , NO 1298]

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