KARI Mtama

 

●    Grain yield: 4.5 t/ha • 
●    Early maturity 2.5 -3 months 
●    High brewing quality • 
●    Sweet grain (low tannins)
●    Suitable for human and animal consumption.
●    Counties of Cultivation: Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, • Embu, Tharaka, Meru.

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Kamani (KM 32-1)

 

●    Grain yield: 2.7-3.8 t ha-1
●    Early maturity:  3.5 months 
●    High brewing quality • 
●    It has a stay green stress tolerance. • 
●     Tolerant to covered kernel smut disease • 
●    Good for human consumption.
●    Suited for dry low lands, dry high lands and dry cold zones and some humid zones 
●    Counties of Cultivation: Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, • Embu, Tharaka, Meru, 
●    Uasin Gishu, Laikipia, Baringo, Busia, Homabay.

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Sila 

●    Grain yield: 4.5 t/ha
●    Fodder yield: 4.5 t/ha • 
●    Early maturity 2.5 -3 months 
●    High brewing quality • 
●    Sweet grain (low tannins)
●    Suitable for human and animal consumption.
●    Counties of Cultivation: Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, Embu, Tharaka, Meru, Busia, Siaya.

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Serdo

●    Grain yield: 2.7-3.5 t ha-1
●    Early maturity:  3 months 
●    Relatively bird tolerant due to tannin content in grain 
●    Good milling capacity 
●    Blending with cassava and maize flour in the milling industry. 
●    Counties of Cultivation: Makueni, Kitui, Machakos,Embu, Tharaka, Meru, Baringo, Busia, Homabay , Kisumu, Siaya.

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Serena

 

●    Grain yield: 2.7 th-1
●    Early maturity: 3 months 
●    Relatively bird tolerant due to tannin content in grain • 
●    Good milling capacity 
●    •Blending with cassava and maize flour in the milling industry. • 
●    Counties of Cultivation: Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, • Embu, Tharaka, Meru, Baringo, Wajir, Isiolo, Turkana, Marsabit.

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E97

●    Grain yield: 4-4.5 the-1
●    Early maturity: 3 months 
●    Counties grown: Kakamega Homabay, Migori, Siaya, Kisumu, Busia Machakos, Kitui, Embu.
●     Tolerant to head smut.
●     Moderately tolerant to striga weed 
●    Counties of Cultivation: Homabay, migori,siaya, Kisumu, Busia Machakos, Kitui, Embu.

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BJ 28

●    Grain yield: 2.5-3 t ha-1
●     Good for Silage making 
●    Good for fodder/forage
●    Grain for human food
●    Area to grow: Dry highlands and high potential zones
●    Tolerant to head smut.

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Ikinyaluka

 

●    Grain yield: 4.5 tha-1
●    Fodder yield: 8 tha-1
●    Maturity:  6 months 
●    Area to grow: Dry highlands and high potential zones
●    Good for silage with high dry matter digestibility, Crude protein,  fiber
●    Grain is used for human consumption.

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E1291

●    Grain yield: 2.7 t ha-1 • 
●    forage: 2.7t ha-1
●    Maturity:  6 months 
●    Good for sorghum beverages.
●    Good for silage with high dry matter digestibility, Crude protein,  fiber
●    Area to grow: Dry high lands.

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E6518

●    Grain yield: 3.4 t ha-1 
●    • forage: 7.2 t ha-1
●    maturity:  6 months 
●    Area to grow: dry high lands and high potential areas. • 
●    The variety is well adapted to cold dry zones. 
●    •Good for sorghum beverages.
●    Good for silage with high dry matter digestibility, Crude protein, and  fiber
 

 

The farm
Birds are a major menace, the problem is more severe in isolated areas.
It is therefore advisable to avoid establishing crop fields in isolated fields far from homesteads and bird roosting sites.
Select farms  with deep, fertile, well-drained soil 

Soil testing
Test the farm soils for a proper decision on the required soil fertility measure to take. 

Soil Management

• Grow sorghum under conservation agriculture to conserve water, soil, and organic matter. This involves : 

1. Maintaining permanent soil organic cover 

• Plant cover crops such as legumes, brassicas, pumpkin, or watermelons
• Mulch with dead crop residues to prevent water evaporation and improve soil fertility
• Apply green manure or compost to prevent soil erosion, improve soil properties and biodiversity in the soil 

2. Practice minimum soil disturbance

• Planting directly protects soil structure, reduces runoff, increases water infiltration, and reduces soil compaction.

3. Practice crop rotation 

• plant a different crop after sorghum to replenish the soil nutrients and control sorghum pests and diseases

4 . Prevention of soil erosion

• Preventing deforestation, 
• Avoid over-cultivation, 
• Do not overgraze  
• Reduce land slope by  contour ridging, terracing, and drainage gullies

5. Practice agroforestry 

• Increase tree cover (agroforestry, afforestation, and reforestation) while reducing land degradation and deforestation.
• Grow sorghum together with trees at the same time, in rotation, or in separate plots.

The importance of agroforestry in climate-smart agriculture
1. Mitigation: 

• Forests reduce the effects of extreme weather such as drought and heavy rains. 
• Trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere (carbon sequestration)

2. Adaptation

• Trees roots on farms hold the soil particles minimizing erosion, 
•  Reduction of leaching and loss of nutrients through improved microclimate. 
• Vegetation cover help in protecting the soil from rain and wind that can wash away the fertile topsoil and 
• Reduction of soil temperature underneath crops.

3. Productivity: 

• Integration of nitrogen-fixing woody trees and sorghum improves soil fertility thus leading to higher yields. 
• The trees used include white hoary pea (Tephrosia candida), silver wattle (G. sepium), sesbania (Sesbania sesban), pigeon peas, and ana tree or winter thorn (Faidherbia albida) can effectively control weeds, including striga (witchweed). 

Altitude:Altitude 0-2500 M.a.s.l

Rainfall: Seasonal rainfall of 250- 450 mm
Annual Rainfall: 450-900 mm.

Temparature:7 to 100 C for seed germination, 
20-350 C for optimum growth.

Climate Information.

Causes of climate change

• Some human activities cause increased production and release of ‘greenhouse gases
• Burning of fossil fuels through industrialization,
•  Agricultural activities such as excessive use of fertilizer containing nitrogen,
• Deforestation and overgrazing,

Increased greenhouse gases cause the temperature to change. The process where greenhouse gasses trap the sun’s heat is called the greenhouse effect which leads to climate change impacts.
There are three main greenhouse gases; carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Carbon dioxide which is the major global contributor to climate change is released through the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation Methane emissions arise from manure and organic waste. Nitrous oxide is released during the application of nitrogen fertilizers, and fluorinated gases are emitted during industrial processes.

Climate change impacts and risks

Drought: 

• Impacts: 

Delay in land preparation, forced maturity, crop stress, reduced quality  & yield, and less area ploughed 

• Adaptation measures : 

Introduce water use efficient varieties, early warning systems, water harvesting/irrigation, and crop insuranceDrought/Pest and disease tolerant varieties, early maturing varieties, soil water measures (terraces, zero/minimum tillage, mulching, ripping, subsoiling, planting basins, zai pits), and enterprise diversification.

• Introduce water use efficient varieties, early warning systems, water harvesting/irrigation, and crop insurance

Intense rainfall (Floods)
Intense rainfall (Floods)
2. Intense rainfall: 

• Impacts:

 Delay in land preparation, planting, and harvesting, crop destruction, leaching of fertilizers, increased post-harvest spoilage (high humidity, rotting, molding, and aflatoxins

• Adaptation measures:

Minimum tillage by use of herbicides, manual land preparation, and weed control (uprooting and cutting back), Soil water conservation measures (ripping, sub-soiling, terracing, and cut-off drains
Use of early warning information for decision-making, and agronomic advisory.

3. Soil degradation
Impacts:
 Crop stress reduced quality & yield, and crops will be  susceptible to pests and diseases
Adaptation measures:
Fertilization, manure application, crop residual tillage, crop rotation, and pesticide application
Fertilization, manure application, crop residual tillage, crop rotation, and pesticide application
Soil testing to amend soils based on local soil tests, agroforestry, composting, agronomic advisory, and use of organic inputs.
 

 

   

sub soiler for land tillage

              

Access to farm inputs

• When sourcing farm inputs, it's essential to consider quality, pricing, reliability, and compatibility with local conditions.
• Sorghum farm inputs include seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, machinery, and equipment 
   
• Seek recommendations from agricultural experts, research institutions, and extension services for guidance and recommendations on the selection of suitable seeds, fertilizer, and integrated pest management strategies
• Farm inputs can be sourced from licensed suppliers such as agrochemical and seed companies, agricultural co-operatives, and  agricultural retailers 
• Some government agricultural departments or agencies may supply certain farm inputs, especially to small-scale farmers through specific programs or subsidies.
• Agricultural exhibitions and trade fairs often bring together various input suppliers and provide an opportunity for farmers to connect, learn about new products, and establish direct contacts for sourcing farm inputs.
• Networking with other farmers through farmers' groups or associations for accessing farm inputs in collective arrangements at favorable rates with trusted suppliers

Seed Sources
Always plant certified seeds from recognized registered seed companies, merchants, or retailers for the best yields.
 

Terraces:  

• If your farm is on a slope plant sorghum within or between terraces to help prevent soil erosion
• Types of terraces  
• Fanya juu
• bench terraces

  

fanya juu terraces

Sketch of a level bench terrace (Source: Mati, 2012)
 

zai pits illustations

 

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Tied Ridges

Make shallow furrows (ridges) 30 cm deep and 50 cm wide
Make a series of crossties lower in height than the main ridges of about 15 to 20 cm high at 3 meters intervals so that water never overflows the main ridges.
Crossties prevent the flow of water along the furrows, hence allowing trapped water in the rectangular basins to infiltrate into the soil 
Plant sorghum on the ridges.

 

Tied ridges

 

Striga weed control 
1. Intercrop sorghum with Desmodium to inhibit Striga seed germination
2. Planting legume trap crops such as cotton, groundnuts, sunflower, linseed, and cowpea in an infested field to induce the Striga seeds to germinate without attachment to the sorghum host.
3. Planting resistant/tolerant sorghum varieties 
4. Weeding regularly before the weed flowers.

Severe damage of sorghum by Striga (Source: researchgate .net).

Thinning

• Thinning is the removal of excess sorghum seedlings to achieve the correct spacing
• If planting was done by drilling in a row, uproot excess seedlings  and leave 20cm between one plant to the other 
• If planting was done in holes uproot sorghum seedlings and leave 1 plant per hill
• Thinning is done when the soil is moist to ensure minimal disturbance of the roots of the remaining plants. 
• Thinning is done 2 to 3 weeks after germination after first weeding. 
• Sorghum planted with a calibrated sorghum planter has the proper seedling spacing and does not need thinning.
• Thinned sorghum

 

Scout weekly, identify and control as follows

Pests

Practice crop rotation · 
Timely planting · 
Plant Napier grass around the sorghum fields as a catch crop. · 
Spray with insecticide as a last result
 

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Shoofly

 

Plant on time as per weather information
Plant tolerant varieties
Use systemic insecticides 

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Locust

Spray with insecticides 
Request for governments intervention in case of big swarms

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Birds

Avoid isolated farms
Plant in clusters of many farmers 
Use bird-scaring devices
Harvest early at the soft dough stage and dry carefully to avoid contamination

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Sorghum midge

Plant on time as per weather information to escape the sorghum midge population build-up
 Plant sorghum varieties with the same maturity period at the same time within the communities
Remove alternative hosts such as Johnson grass and Sudan grass
Practice field sanitation and crop rotation with other none host crops 
Use resistant or tolerant sorghum varieties.

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Stink bugs

Keep the field weed free 
Plant early and avoid close plant spacing
Spray with  appropriate pesticides 

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Disease management
Covered kernel smut 

Use disease-free certified seed 
Uproot the infected plants and burn them to prevent further spread of the disease
 Destroy disease-carrying crop residues by burning 
Rotate with non-host crops especially legumes 
Use resistant varieties

causes Fungus.

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Head Smut

caused by fungus

• Use of disease-free certified  sorghum seed
• Uproot the infected plants and burn to prevent further spread
• Destroy disease-carrying crop residues by burning
• Rotate with non-host crops especially legumes
• Plant resistant varieties

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  Argot

Causes: fungus
Plant clean seed
Burn crop residue
Where possible spray fungicides

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Anthracnose 

Causes: fungus

Practice crop rotation with legumes crops to break the disease lifecycle
Practice field sanitation by destroying sorghum residues
Use resistant or tolerant varieties

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Leaf Blight

Causes:Fungus

Burn crop residues
Practice crop rotation
Use resistant or tolerant varieties

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Rust

Causes: fungus

Practice crop rotation to break the disease lifecycle
Destroy sorghum residues before the onset of the rains
Use resistant or tolerant varieties

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Grain mold

 

causes: fungus

Grow mold-resistant cultivars.
Avoid growing early maturing mold-susceptible cultivars in high rain potential and humid zones.
Harvest physiologically matured crops without delay and quickly dry grains after threshing

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Charcoal rot

Practice timely planting to escape moisture stress
Do crop rotation
Apply optimum plant population to reduce the incidence
Adopt intercropping other than sole cropping
Grow drought tolerant, lodging resistant, and no senescing varieties

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Storage molds and mycotoxins 
1. Aflatoxin 
2. Fusarium
3. Penicillium
 

Timely harvesting
Proper threshing
Dry grain to the recommended moisture
Store in well-ventilated stores to control the relative humidity and temperature during storage
Apply Aflasafe chemical at the vegetative stage to prevent an infestation at the farm

Threshing 
Thresh the grain on the tarpaulin or mats to avoid contamination with stones and soil
Most Farmers use manual threshing by beating with sticks
Using sorghum threshers to thresh the panicles will reduce time, labor, and wastage 
Motorized sorghum thresher 

sorghum thresher

Drying the Grain before storage 
Dry the grain by spreading it on mats or tarpaulin under the direct sun while turning regularly to ensure uniformity in dryness. 
Drying can also be done in a solar drier if available. 
Test the moisture of the grain to make sure it is within the moisture content of below 15% before packaging.

Methods of testing grain moisture content

i). Moisture meter: Test the grain moisture content using a grain moisture meter

Grain Moisture meter

(ii). Salt moisture testing method: 
Requirements

• 8g of dry salt, 
• Transparent dry glass or clear plastic bottle 
• 160g of sorghum grain.

Procedure

• Place the grain sample into the dry bottle and add the dry salt 
• Close the bottle tightly and shake it vigorously for one minute to mix the salt and grain.
• Allow the grain to settle for about 15 minutes
• If the salt sticks to the side of the bottle then the moisture content of the grain moisture is above 15% If the salt does not stick to the bottle, then the grain is below 15% and so is safe for storage

Packaging the grain 

• Package the grain for storage using Hermetic Storage Technology (HST) bags
• It reduces use of storage chemical dusting hence reducing health risks. 
• Once the hermetic bag is closed, oxygen and other gases are prevented from entering or exiting protecting the dried grains from damage by suffocating any living organisms inside. 
• The stored grain can last up to two years with no appreciable loss of quality and the bag is reusable.

Hermetic storage bags

Post-harvest handling and management 

Storage

• Proper storage maintains quality and quantity of the grain
• The storage environment must be clean, tidy and in a good state of repair. 
• Grain damage during storage includes contamination by extraneous material, grain germination, pest infestation (weevils, beetles moth and rodents), microbial infestations, enzymatic activities and heat problems. · 
• Store new and old grains separately. ·
• Fumigate empty stores before grain is put inside and do regular fumigation during the storage period.
• Do regular inspection to ensure proper aeration, correct uniform temperature, cleanliness and  dryness.

Utilization

Sorghum Flour

Clean and sort dry sorghum grain
Mill the grain using a posho mill

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Sorghum Pilau

Ingredients
1 cup (250 g) boiled beans
2 cups (250 g) de-hulled sorghum
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk (optional)
2 (50 g) carrots medium (optional)
2 tablespoons (20 ml) cooking oil
2 teaspoon (5 g) crushed fresh garlic
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) cumin seed
1 teaspoon (5 g) spices (Royco) 
1 tablespoon (10 g) pilau masala
1 medium (10 g) onion
Salt
Processing method
Cook de-hulled sorghum and beans separately and drain all water
Fry chopped onions in oil till golden brown

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Sorghum Chapati

Ingredients
500 g/2 Cups sorghum flour, 
500 g/2 Cups wheat flour, 
10 g salt, 
1/2 Cup cooking fat 
warm water 
(Makes 8 chapattis)
Processing method
Mix flour, salt, and fat, using the fingertips until all the fat is well mixed
Pour in half the water, and mix with a wooden spoon, adding a little water at a time, until the dough is firm but soft 
Knead the dough and when soft divide it into 8 balls Roll each ball into a circle 
Rub each circle top with oil and fold into a wheel fRoll each wheel to a circular on a floured surface Shallow fry each circle on low heat on both sides in a pan until the chapatti is golden brown.

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Sorghum Porridge

 

Ingredients
Sorghum flour 3 cups (750 g)
12 cups (3 liters) of water 
9 teaspoons (100 g) of sugar
3 (0.5 kg) lemon  (optional)
Sugar (optional)

Processing methods
Boil water in a cooking pot
Add sorghum flour to cold water and mix to form a pastry
Add the pastry to the boiling water and stir continuously to ensure that no lumps are formed
Continue stirring until the flour binds and starts boiling. Let it boil to bubbling
Add sugar and lemon and stir until done (optional)
Simmer for 10 minutes
Add desired ingredients e.g. ginger (optional)
Serve as desired 

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Sorghum Ugali

Ingredients
2 cups (500 g) sorghum flour 
4 cups (1 liter) of water
Processing method
Boil water
Add one cup of sorghum flour
Start stirring with a wooden cooking spoon (mwiko) while adding more flour , a little at a time, till tough dough is formed
Stir the paste vigorously while turning at regular intervals to make sure it has a smooth  consistency and is free of lumps
Leave to cook and stir at regular intervals
Lower the heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 2-5 minutes
The ugali is cooked when it does not stick to the saucepan
Remove from heat, place on a plate, and mold into the smooth desired shape
Serve with meat and legume stews or vegetables

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Sorghum Cake

ingredients
3 cups of sorghum white flour, 
1 cup of Wheat flour, 
4 tablespoons of sugar,
 4 tablespoons of margarine, 
3 Eggs, 
3 cups of milk or water, 
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 pinch of salt
Processing method
Mix the margarine and sugar 
Add beaten eggs to the mix 
Fold in sifted flour and add the remaining ingredients Add milk (or water) to make a soft paste after stirring with the tablespoon.
Place the mixture in a well-greased pan, baking tin, or tray 
Bake for 20-30 minutes

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Sorghum Gluten Bread

Ingredients
3 teaspoons active dry yeast (10.5 g)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar (4.2 g)
1½ cups water
3½  cups sorghum flour (444.5 g)
1 cup maize starch (120 g)
1/3 cup tapioca starch (40.66 g)
1 teaspoon salt (5 g)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (2.5 g)

Processing methods

• Mix yeast, sugar and warm water in a medium bowl
• Let the mixture stand in a warm place for 5-7 minutes, until it becomes frothy with small bubbles
• Mix the sorghum flour, maize starch, tapioca starch, and xanthan gum in another bowl
• Beat the eggs in a bowl 
• Pour the egg and yeast mixtures into the dry flour mixture
•  Stir everything with a wooden spoon into a homogeneous wet dough
• Grease a bread pan and pour the dough mixture into the pan
•  Smoothen the surface with the back of a wet spatula 
• Allow the dough to stand for 40 minutes in a warm place without any drafts until the dough has doubled in size
• Preheat oven at 175 °C for about 15 minutes before the dough has finished proofing. 
• Bake for 50 minutes to one hour on the middle rack until the loaf is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped at the bottom
• Cool before slicing it

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  Sorghum Beverage

Ingredients
Sorghum grains (especially red or brown)
Processing method
Sort sorghum grains 
Roast them on a pan until they turn golden brown. 
Grind them into fine flour 
The flour is then used to make the sorghum tea

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Sorghum bear

Ingredients
▪    1 kg. Sorghum grain with brewing/malting quality
▪    7g  Baking Yeast 
Processing method
▪    Soak sorghum in water, allowing it to begin germination. 
▪    Dry the partially germinated grains. 
▪     Crush the sorghum and boil it in water for about 15 minutes.  
▪    Drain and put into a large vessel. 
▪    Add 4 liters of hot water and let sit for 1 hour.
▪    Transfer the liquid portion of the mash to a large vessel and add 8 liters of hot water. 
▪     Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
▪    Add the yeast and 1 cup of additional crushed sorghum malt (from germinated grains) and stir vigorously.
▪    Ferment for 2 days at room temperature then strain beer into storage vessels.  

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Other uses
3.6.2. Sorghum for fodder 
Fodder sorghums are classified into three key classes; 
a) Forage sorghums 
b) Sudan grasses 
c) sorghum-Sudangrass hybrids 

Fodder sorghums may be utilized in a number of ways namely; 
a)    for grazing
b)    as green chop 
c)    hay
d)    Silage.

Yield potential

• Sorghum yield potential depends on the variety, region planted and good agronomic practices applied by the farmer
• The yield potential of current varieties of  sorghum range between 2.7 tons/ha to 6 ton/ha with an average of 3.5 tons/ha
• Market Information
• www.amis.co.ke
• Local and urban markets
• Processors such as brewers
• Agricultural extension services 

Further Reading

• Climate Smart Sorghum Production Resource Guide
• Inventory of Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies, Innovations, and Management Practices for Sorghum Value Chain
• Esilaba, A.O. et al. (2019). KCEP-CRAL Sorghum Extension Manual. Kenya Agricultural and
• Livestock Research Organization, Nairobi, Kenya
• Threshing-Machine/2017-12-19/Sorghum-Threshing-Machine.html.