Boosting sorghum production in a changing climate
Farm Africa / Mwangi Kirubi
The problem
In the dry region of Dodoma, smallholder farmers rely on the sorghum they grow to feed their families. Low yields regularly push people into hunger. An increasingly volatile climate endangers smallholders’ food security. Adopting improved sorghum varieties and production practices can allow farmers to achieve a surplus, even in drought conditions.
A lack of secure food storage facilities and poor handling processes see much of farmers’ produce going to rot. Market demand for sorghum is rising but smallholders lack the yields, equipment and market systems to tap into demand.
What are we doing?
Farm Africa is equipping sorghum growers with the skills and resources they need to transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture. The project is:
- Supporting farmers to adopt new techniques that boost yields, build resilience to extreme weather and protect the environment.
- Connecting farmers with businesses that sell tarpaulins, sacks and other on-farm technology to minimise waste.
- Training warehouses and cooperatives to process and store farmers’ produce.
- Supporting farmers to diversify crop production and develop long-term business plans to manage climate risks.
- Using ICTs to provide farmers with market information so that they can decide when and how much to sell sorghum for.
Who are we working with?
This project is funded by Irish Aid through the World Food Programme.
