Abstract
Sorghum is a crop of marginal and vulnerable areas that are highly susceptible to the changing climate. A firm-level survey was conducted to address the level of utilization of the sorghum grain, associated value creation and constraints in the agro-processing segment of the agrifood value chain. Results declare that wheat is the most popular and commercial crop that has been widely utilized for the manufacturing of different food products. Maize is the second potential grain while the large share more allocates to the manufacturing of feed and fortified food products. The grains of teff, rice, and sorghum are majorly restricted to traditional food products. To a very limited extent, the agro-processing utilization of sorghum is more attributed to the manufacturing of baby foods and feed products. The physical features and nutritional qualities of sorghum products, experience and awareness gaps, and consumer perceptions remain to be the major barriers that limit the competitiveness of sorghum. The complex nature of the system demands empirical research, agribusinesses, and development actors to join hands embarking on the enhancement of nutrition, capacity development, product innovations, and demand creation. Moreover, boosting up of farm productivity, promoting farmer-industry partnerships and backup to the infant agro-processing sector opens up the opportunities for the disconnected sorghum growers.
Highlights
Smallholder farmers cultivate 96% of the total land and take the dominant share in the production of the major crops in Ethiopia (CSA, 2015)
Looking at the geographical spread of production, the share becomes 39.9% for Oromia, 38.7% for Amhara, 11.8% for Tigray and 4.4% for the SNNPN region. This implies that the major sorghum producing regions, Oromia and Amhara accounting for nearly 80% of the total production
Much of the demand by the food industries will be met through this arrangement, apportioned on a quota basis by giving more privileges to specific product categories
Summary
Smallholder farmers cultivate 96% of the total land and take the dominant share in the production of the major crops in Ethiopia (CSA, 2015). The country is the third-largest sorghum producer in Africa after Nigeria and Sudan (FAO, 2017). It accounts for 19% of the domestic cereal production and 20% of the total area under cereals (Demeke, Di Marcantonio, 2013). Sorghum is widely grown in diverse climatic conditions and the major staple crop grown in the poorest and dry areas where other crops can survive least and food insecurity is widespread (Fetene et al, 2011; Jema et al, 2018). Its drought tolerance and adaptation attribute to adverse conditions named it a crop of the resource-poor farmers
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