Sorghum Production in Kenya: Farm-level Characteristics, Constraints and Opportunities

Abstract

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench), is a cereal crop quantitatively ranked the world’s fifth most important cereal grain after wheat, maize, rice and barley. Sorghum cultivation is mainly practised in developing countries with 90 per cent of the cultivated area found in African and Asian countries. Africa is the largest producer of sorghum accounting for one-third of global production. The suitability and adaptability to tropical conditions prevalent in Africa explain the crops’ dominance. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the crop prominently serves as a viable cereal crop for the most food insecure households. Sorghum is essential to food security in Africa (Taylor, 2003). Its ability to perform relatively well under both favourable and harsh and unpredictable weather conditions predominant in SSA underscores its importance. Sorghum can withstand periods of high temperature and is drought tolerant. It can also endure periods of exposure to waterlogging. Due to the rising trends in global warming and climate change, sorghum is a promising alternative for enhanced food and income security, compared to other staples such as maize that often fail due to drought (Muturi, Rubaihayo, & Mgonja, 2013). In Kenya, sorghum is typically grown in marginal and semi-arid areas characterised by low and erratic rains and high temperatures (Mwema & Mulinge, 2013). According to MoALF, 2015), from 2012, sorghum production increased progressively in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs). For instance, the national production was 1.9 million bags in 2014, with Eastern and Nyanza regions recording the highest production with 761,414 and 757,862 (90 kg) bags respectively. Sorghum is a crop with vast untapped potential which can be harnessed in poverty alleviation, employment creation, and reducing malnutrition in the country. The increase in sorghum production is attributed to strategies implemented to revitalise the crop as a Traditional High- Value Crop (THVC) and the growing sorghum beer market (MoALF, 2015).