FG Vows to Make Nigeria Self-sufficient in Sorghum Production

The federal government has reiterated its commitment to streamline the existing sorghum varieties in its bid to make Nigeria self-sufficient in sorghum production.

The production of sorghum in Nigeria in 2021 was estimated to have reached almost seven million metric tonnes as the commodity remained one of the top earners of foreign exchange for the Nigerian economy.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Mohammad Abubakar, revealed this while receiving report of the Sorghum Technical Committee in Abuja. Abubakar stated that the objective of streamlining the existing sorghum varieties was to find other ways of improving productivity, value addition and quality of sorghum produce, noting that the exercise would enhance farmers’ income, attract more youth to sorghum cultivation, meet national demand as well as contribute to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

He said: “This cannot be achieved without the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders of which farmers, seed producers, input providers and international Institutes are part of.”

He stated that the technical committee arose from a sorghum stakeholders meeting on production, commercialisation and product development of sorghum in Nigeria held in Gombe State in 2020, adding that to achieve the objective, the ministry had set up the committee to streamline the existing varieties.

Abubakar pointed out that “recently sorghum crop assumed great industrial relevance such that many multi-national companies such as breweries now use sorghum grits as adjuncts (up to 40 per cent) to barley base (Mash) for making alcoholic and non- alcoholic beverages and breakfast cereals.”

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, who was represented by Director Rural Development, Udo Daniel, commended the committee members for the report they have presented and hoped that the streamlining of the existing sorghum varieties would meet the food and industrial demands.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Daniel Aba, stated that sorghum has been a sustainable crop in Nigeria and the rest of Africa and as such, had gained commercial importance in most of the African countries because of its different uses.

He noted that the crop is gradually replacing other crops in Nigeria and other African countries.