Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support

In Tanzania, sorghum is the 3rd most grown cereal with approximately 500,000 tons produced per year (FAOSTAT, 2018). It is grown in semi-arid regions of Dodoma, Singida, Mara, Shinyanga, Mwanza, and Tabora regions. Farmers primarily produce sorghum for consumption (83%) rather than commercial purpos...

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Main Authors: Akpo, Essegbemon, Kalema, Elizabeth Phineas, Kongola, Eliud, Muricho, Geoffrey, Ojiewo, Christopher Ochieng
Format: Brief
Language:Inglés
Published: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128761
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author Akpo, Essegbemon
Kalema, Elizabeth Phineas
Kongola, Eliud
Muricho, Geoffrey
Ojiewo, Christopher Ochieng
author_browse Akpo, Essegbemon
Kalema, Elizabeth Phineas
Kongola, Eliud
Muricho, Geoffrey
Ojiewo, Christopher Ochieng
author_facet Akpo, Essegbemon
Kalema, Elizabeth Phineas
Kongola, Eliud
Muricho, Geoffrey
Ojiewo, Christopher Ochieng
author_sort Akpo, Essegbemon
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In Tanzania, sorghum is the 3rd most grown cereal with approximately 500,000 tons produced per year (FAOSTAT, 2018). It is grown in semi-arid regions of Dodoma, Singida, Mara, Shinyanga, Mwanza, and Tabora regions. Farmers primarily produce sorghum for consumption (83%) rather than commercial purpose (17%). It is mainly used as human food, animal feeds, alcoholic beverages, and biofuels. In the past years, there has been an increase in sorghum production from 676,772 tons in 2015 to 750,000 tons in 2020 (FAOSTAT, 2022). Recently, there is an increase in demand for sorghum since many people are increasingly getting aware of the health benefits thatcome with the consumption of sorghum like prevention of cancer, reducing tumor incidence, and lowering blood pressure (Saleh et al, 2013); and increase in sorghum demand among breweries like Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) (American sorghum, 2016). White sorghum is highly preferred in and outside the country because of its use, color and low tannin; and red sorghum is highly demanded in Lake Zone and Northern Highland of Tanzania and exported to Burundi and Rwanda. Tanzania mostly exports sorghum to Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sorghum grain in Tanzania hardly competes in both local and international markets because of the low-quality grain produced due to the use of landraces, traditional postharvest method, limited extension services, and lack of information in good agronomic practices. The presence of low-quality grain gives grain off-takers hard time to compete in the market and this results in low grain prices. Sorghum grain sector faces a number of challenges including unreliable market (close to 36%), low quality grain (about 25%), high tariff (around 11%), lack of storage facilities and low price (around 5 to 6%) (Table 1). The sorghum value chain in Tanzania can be strengthened if the seed sector is responsive.
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spelling CGSpace1287612025-11-06T13:02:32Z Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support Akpo, Essegbemon Kalema, Elizabeth Phineas Kongola, Eliud Muricho, Geoffrey Ojiewo, Christopher Ochieng sorghum grain markets policies In Tanzania, sorghum is the 3rd most grown cereal with approximately 500,000 tons produced per year (FAOSTAT, 2018). It is grown in semi-arid regions of Dodoma, Singida, Mara, Shinyanga, Mwanza, and Tabora regions. Farmers primarily produce sorghum for consumption (83%) rather than commercial purpose (17%). It is mainly used as human food, animal feeds, alcoholic beverages, and biofuels. In the past years, there has been an increase in sorghum production from 676,772 tons in 2015 to 750,000 tons in 2020 (FAOSTAT, 2022). Recently, there is an increase in demand for sorghum since many people are increasingly getting aware of the health benefits thatcome with the consumption of sorghum like prevention of cancer, reducing tumor incidence, and lowering blood pressure (Saleh et al, 2013); and increase in sorghum demand among breweries like Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) (American sorghum, 2016). White sorghum is highly preferred in and outside the country because of its use, color and low tannin; and red sorghum is highly demanded in Lake Zone and Northern Highland of Tanzania and exported to Burundi and Rwanda. Tanzania mostly exports sorghum to Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sorghum grain in Tanzania hardly competes in both local and international markets because of the low-quality grain produced due to the use of landraces, traditional postharvest method, limited extension services, and lack of information in good agronomic practices. The presence of low-quality grain gives grain off-takers hard time to compete in the market and this results in low grain prices. Sorghum grain sector faces a number of challenges including unreliable market (close to 36%), low quality grain (about 25%), high tariff (around 11%), lack of storage facilities and low price (around 5 to 6%) (Table 1). The sorghum value chain in Tanzania can be strengthened if the seed sector is responsive. 2022-09-30 2023-02-20T11:50:59Z 2023-02-20T11:50:59Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128761 en Open Access application/pdf International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics Akpo, E., Kalema, E.P., Kongola, E., Muricho, G., Ojiewo, C.O. 2022. Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support. ICRISAT Policy Brief 47.
spellingShingle sorghum
grain
markets
policies
Akpo, Essegbemon
Kalema, Elizabeth Phineas
Kongola, Eliud
Muricho, Geoffrey
Ojiewo, Christopher Ochieng
Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support
title Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support
title_full Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support
title_fullStr Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support
title_full_unstemmed Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support
title_short Building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in Tanzania: Areas for policy support
title_sort building sorghum seed sector along the grain market in tanzania areas for policy support
topic sorghum
grain
markets
policies
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128761
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