NAIROBI; Grown in many parts of Africa as an indigenous crop, sorghum has lately gained a new commercial value and is increasingly emerging as a competitive grain in high end market place.Consumed commonly as ordinary soft porridge beverage, particularly for children, the crop is being processed to various products, attracting a growing number of consumers. The new commercial attraction for this crop is generated by the entry of giant players in the brewing industry to use the tiny grains as crucial raw materials for their products. According to Murang’a South District Agriculture Officer John Waihenya, sorghum has the potential to rank among the top cash crops, due to the increasing demand from the big time breweries.Waihenya explained the brewing firms have identified this cereal as a quality material for use in making certain alcoholic beverages, popular with the consumers.He singled out the blue chip Kenya Breweries Company, which has even gone to the ground to mobilize and encourage farmers to produce the crop for its ready market. The officer added this company has developed a programme to contract farmers to grow the crop for an assured buyer. He detailed that to address upgrading of the indigenous crop for better productivity, a new variety has been developed by crop breeders.Scientists at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) have formulated three new sorghum types, christened Gadam, under the programme. Gadam sorghum is ideal for commercial production and does well in several agro zones in the country, says Waihenya. The variety requires little water, fertilizer in put and withstands common diseases and vagaries of the weather. It matures within a short period of (85-95 days), compared to the conventional varieties and performs well in warm, mild weather conditions. The crop is suitable for growing in low and middle belt highlands in the country. It is a high value food crop and an acre can yield some 4,500 kilgorammes with application of good husbandry practices.
