Improving Sorghum Qualities to Alleviate Hunger & Malnutrition
Generating Healthy Food Systems Solutions
Generating Healthy Food Systems Solutions
Scovia Adikini, Ph.D.
National Agricultural Research Organization
Year Awarded 2023
FFAR award amount $809,879
Total award amount $1,619,758
Location Entebbe, Uganda
Program Seeding Solutions
Matching Funders International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO)
Developing High-Nutrient, Drought-Resistant Sorghum Varieties
Dryland regions of sub-Saharan and East Africa are characterized by low rainfall, drought and poor soil, which severely affect the nutritional quality and yield of most crops. These conditions contribute to food and nutrition insecurity among children and women.
Sorghum is a major food and forage crop that can survive in harsh conditions, but sorghum’s nutritional value differs across varieties and the crop contains high levels of substances known as antinutrients that limit the body’s ability to absorb the nutrients. Additionally, the crop can support livestock production by using its stalks and leaves as livestock forage, but some sorghum varieties contain hydrocyanic acid, which is highly toxic to livestock and humans
To address this, researchers led by Dr. Scovia Adikini of the National Agricultural Research Organization are identifying and developing sorghum varieties with higher nutritional value and improved yield while reducing antinutrient and hydrocyanide levels.
Both humans and livestock in dry areas of east Africa have suffered high levels of malnutrition. This is largely due to the low availability of micronutrients but also to the presence of antinutritional factors in the existing dominant crops, like sorghum. We are addressing this by increasing the micronutrient level in sorghum, ensuring its bioavailability, and reducing the level of antinutritional factors like hydrogen cyanide in order to guarantee food and feed quality for enhanced nutrition both in humans and livestock.
Dr. Scovia Adikini
Principal Investigator, National Agricultural Research Organization
Details about this research
Research Objectives
- Identify nutritional and antinutritional traits in sorghum grains and develop more nutritional varieties with increased bioavailability and adapted to dry lands of East Africa.
- Determine sorghum hydrogen cyanide levels and develop low-hydrogen cyanide sorghum varieties to increase availability of livestock feed.
- Determine sorghum nutritional quality genes and molecular markers to accelerate breeding.
- Document smallholder farmers’ sorghum uses and processing techniques and how these influence nutrient quantity and bioavailability.
These research objectives will lead to the development of improved sorghum varieties, which will improve smallholder farm profitability and improve food and nutrition security regionally. Additionally, the fortified crop can also provide benefits globally by increasing agricultural diversity.
Research As A Solution: Understanding Sorghum Nutritional Markers & Current Farmer Preferences Guides Improved Sorghum Variety Development
Researchers are developing highly nutritional sorghum varieties resilient to climate change, resistant to emerging pests and with desirable consumer traits.
How This Research Supports to FFAR'S Mission: Healthy Food Systems Research
This research is developing more nutrient dense sorghum crop, increasing crop biodiversity and improving human health.
Matching Funders
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO)
array(1) {
["latest"]=>
array(3) {
["tax"]=>
array(2) {
[0]=>
string(3) "141"
[1]=>
string(3) "198"
}
["research"]=>
array(3) {
["title"]=>
string(0) ""
["image"]=>
bool(false)
["promo_text"]=>
string(37) "Read the latest project breakthroughs"
}
["latest"]=>
array(3) {
["title"]=>
string(10) "The Latest"
["sections_show"]=>
array(4) {
[0]=>
string(8) "insights"
[1]=>
string(4) "news"
[2]=>
string(6) "events"
[3]=>
string(13) "breakthroughs"
}
["additional_past_events"]=>
string(0) ""
}
}
}
The Latest
Insights
Our Insights highlight unique perspectives from across the food and agriculture community.
See all Insights
The “Good Soil Discount” — A Game Changer for U.S. Agriculture
Harley Cross
Land Core Co-founder & Director of Strategy
News
The latest news and updates from FFAR.
See all News
Grant to Preserve Groundwater and Economically Benefit Growers
Grant Developing Tomato Resistance to Parasitic Weed
Grant Develops Cotton-Based Precision Irrigation to Improve Sustainability
FFAR Grant to Improve Sorghum & Strengthen Nutritional Security
Advancing Circular Bioeconomy with Biomass Feedstocks
Student Teams Combat Climate Change
FFAR Grant Unites Urban Agriculture Operations to Increase Food Security
FFAR-Funded Research to Prevent African Swine Fever Virus
FFAR Accepting Pre-Proposals for 2024 Seeding Solutions
FFAR Grant Provides Data on Nitrogen Management Practices in the Great Plains
FFAR Grant Reduces Nitrogen Inputs, Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Grant Transforms Wastewater to Crop Fertilizer
New Falling Number Test Prevents Wheat Contamination, Saves Farmers Millions
Pairing Regenerative Farming and Solar Energy Production to Improve Urban Resilience
Building a Common Language for Antimicrobial Resistance Between Human & Animal Health
Mitigating Farm Risk Through Improved Soil Health
FFAR Grant Investigates Naturally Occurring Compound to Reduce Enteric Methane Emissions
Advancing Crop Diversity with Civic Scientists
Grant Supports Production of Sustainable, Cost-Effective Feed Supplements
FFAR is Accepting Pre-Proposals for Seeding Solutions 2023
Breakthroughs
Tools, technologies and strategies from the research we fund.
See all Breakthroughs
New Study Shows AI & Supercomputing Can Quantify Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Individual Farms
Breakthrough for FFAR Grant Quantifies Organic Carbon to Improve Agricultural Productivity
Loyalty Shopper Card Intervention Creates Behavior Change
Breakthrough for Individually-targeted incentives, diet quality and health outcomes among adults
Increased Fiber, Same Great Taste
Breakthrough for Increasing Dietary Fiber in Wheat Crop
Connecting Growers & Markets
Breakthrough for FFAR Grant Develops Tools to Predict Consumer Demand, Reduce Food Waste
Accelerating Crop Development with Improved Haploid Fertility
Breakthrough for Accelerated Development of Crops of the Future
Research Pinpoints Why Dairy Cows Produce Less Milk in Warm Weather and Develops Nutrition-Based Solution
Breakthrough for FFAR Grant Helps Heat-Stressed Dairy Cows Weather Increasing Temperatures