The release of two new nutritionally high sorghum varieties, one with three times higher iron content, will be a boost for farmers as well as the malnourished populations, especially children in Nigeria,Daily Trust Reports.


A statement from the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) signed by its country head, Mr. Hakeem Ajeigbe, said the improved varieties were developed by a team of scientists in the Nigerian national system and the ICRISAT.

The statement stated that the new varieties involved crossing local Nigerian germplasm or seeds, with improved lines from ICRISAT’s collection in Mali.

The development of the two varieties, according to the statement, was a combined effort of several projects including the Nigeria Sorghum Value Chain, Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program (ATASP-1), and HarvestPlus, USA.

The new varieties have double yields when compared to the local varieties and have short duration, thereby allowing farmers to adapt better to climate change.

The naturally bio-fortified, one of the new varieties has iron content three times higher than typically grown sorghum at 129ppm compared to 40ppm.

The statement added that both varieties are drought resistant with average yields of 2.4-2.8t/ha, compared to the less than 1tonne per hectare from the local varieties.

The statement also said the registration of the varieties was recently approved by the Nigerian government, through the National Committee on the Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries.