The potential role of sorghum in enhancing food security in semi-arid eastern Kenya: A review

Abstract

Successive droughts in Kenya compounded with other socio-economic constraints have led to persistently unstable and declining agricultural productivity in semi-arid eastern Kenya. This has given rise to the need to find coping strategies that would include growing alternative crops that are drought tolerant and thus suitable for the areas. Research in Kenya and elsewhere has shown that sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) has the potential to end severe food insecurity in ASALs due to its tolerance to drought and ability to thrive under a wide range of soils. However, research and government policy in Kenya have shown a continual inclination to maize production in these areas though the crop is regarded a high risk option due to poor adaptation especially to the low rainfall. This paper reviews the potential of sorghum for improving food security in ASALs of Kenya with specific focus on semi-arid eastern Kenya. This will contribute to the ongoing debate to inform private and public sector policy and investments for increasing production of sorghum and other drought tolerant crops in the ASALs as a way of alleviating food insecurity and poverty.

Drought Tolerance and Water Use of Cereal Crops: A Focus on Sorghum as a Food Security Crop in Sub‐Saharan Africa

“…). Low availability of high‐end sorghum food processing in comparison with other major cereals (Oot et al. ). Bird destruction still remains a key sorghum yield reduction threat in the region, forcing smallholder farmers to trade off high yield potential and palatability for bird proof characteristics (Habindavyi ). Low research attention, breeding efforts and adoption rates of improved varieties by farmers in favour of other major cereal crops (Mwadalu and Mwangi ).…”

Excise Tax Changes and Their Impact on Gadam Sorghum Demand in Kenya

“…In 2004, East African Breweries Ltd (EABL), one of the country's leading brewers, launched Senator™, a beer derived from sorghum grain and intended for the low end market . The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and the Ministry of Agriculture, through the orphan crops program 4 in collaboration with EABL, have in the last few years promoted the use of high quality sorghum varieties, such as Gadam, to supplement barley in beer production (MOA, 2011;MOAL&F, 2015;Mwadalu & Mwangi, 2013). In the context of this paper, such measures represent forms of government intervention which are intended to directly or indirectly influence market outcomes from the supply side of the market for sorghum.…”

“…Demand for Gadam sorghum was estimated at 60,000MT but production in 2010 was estimated to be 2,000 MT (Mwadalu & Mwangi, 2013). In 2009, EABL could only raise 1,000 MT of grain but through the initiatives mentioned before, by 2015, EABL could access 16,000MT locally (Maina, 2015).…”

“…Production has traditionally been centred in the drought-prone areas where it is predominately produced (Nzuma & Sarker, 2008). In fact, it has been estimated that only 30 percent of domestic sorghum production is actually marketed (Mwadalu & Mwangi, 2013;Kilambya & Witwer, 2013). On the trade front, the country has for a long time imported small but unrecorded amounts of cereals (e.g.…”

Climatic gradients along the windward slopes of Mount Kenya and their implication for crop risks. Part 2: crop sensitivity

“…Maize and sorghum are the two main subsistence crops, with maize cultivation decreasing downwards and sorghum cultivation decreasing upwards. Maize has gained popularity in the last 45 years (Leclerc et al , ), but sorghum remains a primary crop in lowland areas and shows a renewed interest from farmers in several parts of Kenya for food security issues (it is more resilient to drought) and in response to the brewing industry's demand (Mwadalu and Mwangi, ). The present study thus focuses on sorghum.…”