Atlas of Sorghum (\u3ci\u3eSorghum bicolor\u3c/i\u3e (L.) Moench): Production in Eastern and Southern Africa

Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a major crop in many parts of Africa and is noted for its versatility and diversity. It is adapted over a wide range of precipitation and temperature levels and is produced at sea level to above 2000 m altitude. In eastern and southern Africa, it is primarily a crop of resource-poor, small-scale farmers and is typically produced under adverse conditions such as low input use and marginal lands. There are numerous biotic and abiotic constraints to production. The grain and stover are used in many different ways with localized preferences. Much information is needed to effectively address the problems and opportunities of this diverse crop. The Atlas of Sorghum Production in Eastern and Southern Africa presents information on sorghum in nine countries to serve information needs of researchers, extension and rural development specialists, policy makers, and emergency relief personnel. It accounts for 85% of the sorghum production on an area basis, or 3,400,000 ha, from Ethiopia south to Mozambique with most of the uncovered production in Somalia (FAOSTAT, 2008). Numerous researchers and others knowledgeable of sorghum in their country contributed information and expert opinions for the Atlas. The Atlas presents information in maps and tables for 39 sorghum production areas in nine countries addressing production constraints, cropping systems, management, uses, preferences, gender roles, and marketing

Atlas of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench): Production in Eastern and Southern Africa

This Atlas presents information on sorghum (a major crop in many parts of Africa, noted for its versatility and diversity) in nine countries to serve information needs of researchers, extension and rural development specialists, policy makers, and emergency relief personnel. It accounts for 85% of the sorghum production on an area basis, or 3,400,000 ha, from Ethiopia south to Mozambique with most of the uncovered production in Somalia (FAOSTAT, 2008). The Atlas presents information in maps and tables dealing with production constraints, cropping systems, management, uses, preferences, gender roles, and marketing.Dokumentigani wuxuu ka warbixinayaa masaggada laga beero meelo badan oo Afrika ka tirsan. Wuxuu si tifaftiran uga hadlayaa habka loo beerto masaggada iyo waxtarkeeda.Questo atlante presenta dati sul sorgo o sorghum (una delle maggiori colture in molte parti dell'Africa, nota per la sua varietà) in nove paesi per fornire informazioni utili ai ricercatori, agli specialisti di sviluppo rurale, ai politicanti e al personale di pronto soccorso. Rende conto dell'85% della produzione di sorgo su un'area di 3.400.000 ha, dall'Etiopia del sud al Mozambico e la maggior parte della produzione senza copertura in Somalia (FAOSTAT, 2008). L'atlante presenta le informazioni in mappe e tabelle, riguardanti i vincoli produttivi, i sistemi di coltivazione, la gestione, gli usi, le preferenze, i ruoli di genere e il mercato

Participatory Variety Selection for enhanced promotion and adoption of improved finger millet varieties: A case for Singida and Iramba Districts in Central Tanzania

Participatory variety selection (PVS) is an approach which provides a wide choice of varieties to farmers to evaluate in their own environment using their own resources for increasing production. It enhances farmer’s access to diverse crop varieties, increases production and ensures food security and helps faster dissemination and adoption of pre and released varieties. It allows varietal selection in targeted areas at cost-effective and timely manner and helps promotion of community seed production and community seed banks. Therefore, a variety developed through PVS usually meets demand of different stakeholders. Farmers in Singida and Iramba districts in central Tanzania were found to be growing land races which were low yielding, long maturing, drought and disease susceptible, as no variety had previously been released in Tanzania. Through PVS a broader choice of varieties that matched farmer needs in adaptation and quality traits was offered for evaluation. As such PVS was used to introduce, evaluate, release and promote for adoption finger millet varieties in Central and Northern Tanzania. Farmers selected and adopted new varieties of a higher utility (a combination of improved agronomic traits, higher yield, and improved quality). Through PVS Tanzania released her first finger millet varieties (U15 and P224). Adoption of the varieties was very high as farmers associated with the varieties; and affordable high quality seed was made available as Quality Declared Seed (QDS) produced by the target farmer groups. Preferred traits differed between the gender groups; women preferred risk averting traits like short duration, drought tolerance, compact heads and disease resistance while male preferred market related traits (high yield, brown colour and big head