…charges farmers, seed producers and input providers to step-up

…sets up committee on improving productivity

By Gabriel Ewepu

WITH effort to improve various agricultural value chains, the Federal Government, weekend, expressed worry over low productivity along sorghum value chain as Nigeria losses huge foreign exchange in importing the commodity by brewery and confectionery giants.

The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, stated this during inauguration of Technical Committee to ‘Streamline the existing Sorghum varieties’ that would meet domestic and industrial demands of the commodity.

According to Umakhihe, who was represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, FDA, Karima Babangida, multinational companies, especially breweries are in high demand of the commodity following its relevance as they use about 40 per cent as barley base for production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
While food producing companies use it in production of breakfast cereals, which flour mills use sorghum in place of wheat as composite flour to serve as major ingredient in making various confectioneries including bread, biscuits, cracker, cakes, couscous, infant foods and cookies.

He said: “Food products which sorghum serves as one of the ingredients are Indomie, spaghetti and macaroni. In addition, the non-food industrial use of sorghum as grits also exist in aluminium ore refining, animal feeds, building materials and foundry binders.

“The prevalence of many varieties and cultivars was identified as the major problem leading to low sorghum productivity resulting in the supply shortfall.

“The varieties are not what are needed by our food industries.

“This necessitated the need to streamline the existing varieties to meet our food, industrial and export needs.

“To achieve this, the Ministry has therefore set up this Technical Committee to streamline the existing varieties and find other ways of improving productivity and quality of Sorghum produce.”

He also added that, “This is essential as it will also enhance farmers’ income, attract more youth to sorghum cultivation, meet our national demand and contribute to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product, GDP,.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Technical committee, Prof Dan Abah, in an acceptance speech assured that the members will work assiduously towards achieving the Terms of Reference, ToR, of the committee that will ensure the sorghum sub-sector improves basically on quality seeds production, and increase income for farmers.

However, the Committee which is to commence work immediately was given ToR, which include, identify the variety of sorghum being cultivated; sorghum farmers at different major growing areas across the country by; The Committee is to determine varieties that are suitable to specific areas and giving higher yields to meet up with our food and industrial needs; The Committee shall identify varieties particularly for malting and flour industries for promotion of their production; and The Committee is expected to submit its report to the Ministry within two months from now.