Sorghum is a unique crop produced for domestic and export markets
with multiple uses as food, feed, fodder, fuel and fi ber grown globally.
The sorghum grain is the major ingredient in cattle feed, poultry and
swine around the globe. Stover is an important fodder source for both
milch and draft animals in mixed crop-livestock systems. Sorghum
provides raw material to many industrial uses like potable alcohol,
transport grade ethanol malt, beer, liquids, gruels, starch, adhesives,
core binders for metal casting, ore refi ning and grits as packaging
material. Spatial distribution shows that it is grown on 40.5 M ha in
98 countries of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Nigeria, India,
the USA, Mexico, Sudan, China and Argentina are the major producers
of sorghum. The crop is adapted to a wide range of temperatures,
including high elevations in East Africa. In South Asia, where adoption
rates are high, the most signifi cant adoption constraints are specifi c
varietal traits (e.g., disease resistance, duration, yield, stover quality).
In Africa, where adoption rates are lower, the most signifi cant adoption
constraints are access to seed and information, bird damage (associated
with early-maturing varieties) and poor soil fertility/lack of fertilizer.
Recent global trends also show that both grain yield and production
increased refl ecting increase in use of improved varieties, increased
demand due to population growth and higher world prices for major
cereals. The area under sorghum is increasing gradually in West and
Central Africa (WCA) while in other regions it’s area is showing a
declining trend over last few decades. In general, the grain is grown
in more economically advanced countries for feed purpose and in less
developed countries for food purpose. According to IFPRI models, the
future scenario indicates that demand for cereals is to increase by 40%
over 2000 by 2020. It’s demand is sustained in view of climate change,
diversifying global food basket in developing nations while its use as
non-food in industries drive sorghum demand in developed nations
in future
