Farmers see the value in sorghum after East Africa Breweries Limited's entry

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BY MANGOA MOSOTA

Sorghum farmers in many parts of southern Nyanza stopped cultivating the crop four years ago due to a lack of market. Most opted for maize farming, despite the returns being low.

Today, however, the situation has changed. More than 6,000 farmers in Homa Bay and Migori counties have returned to sorghum farming due to the improved marketing of the crop and resultant returns.

Sorghum used to be planted on less than half an acre of land for domestic consumption.

“No one would buy more than a sack of sorghum, and the excess cereal would just rot in stores,” says Bernard Otieno, a farmer from Rang’wa Village, in Homa Bay County.

Otieno, 43, recently harvested 53 bags of sorghum from a four-acre piece of land.

“I sold 43 bags and made Sh97,000, and after deducting expenses, I was left with Sh65,000,” the father of five said.

He plans to increase the acreage under the crop to six acres next year, after the fruitful harvest.

Another farmer, Maurice Odero, harvested 52 sacks of the crop from 11 acres and was paid Sh154,000. His net return was Sh76,000.

“I had seven acres and had to lease four others to increase my harvest,” said Odero, who is from Kowiwa Village also in Homa Bay.

The farmers are beneficiaries of an arrangement with East African Breweries Limited that was started three years ago. The company pays farmers Sh25 per kilo of sorghum.

The brewer’s annual demand for the crop is 24,000 metric tonnes, and it is expected to increase to 45,000 tonnes in two years. Supply is at about 10,000 tonnes.

Currently, EABL has close to 15,000 small-scale farmers in the eastern and western parts of the country. This is in addition to a few mechanised large-scale farmers.

The farmers plant sugary varieties of the crop like gadam and sila, which EABL uses to make beer.

Best practices

In Homa Bay and Migori counties, a local NGO, Community Action for Rural Development (Card), supports the farmers by advancing them fertiliser, seedlings and advising them on best practices.

George Orero, a programme officer with Card, said in the next five years they want to increase the tonnage of sorghum six-fold.

“We want to recruit more farmers from places such as Kisumu County and Rarieda in Siaya County,” said Orero.

Card makes payments to farmers within a week of delivery.

“We pay the farmers small amounts through mobile money transfer platforms, while larger amounts are paid through cheques to groups,” he said. The cost of seedlings and fertilisers is deducted from the pay.

The biggest challenge with sorghum farming is invasions from birds. Most farmers employ casuals to scare the birds away as the crop begins to mature, which eats into their profits.

In addition, threshing and winnowing the harvested crop is labour-intensive. Orero, however, says there are plans to acquire a machine to do the threshing.

Sorghum is highly nutritious and does well in arid and semi-arid areas of the country, making it a perfect solution for the country’s perennial food shortages. It is currently the third-most popular food crop, after maize and wheat. Its flour is used to make ugali and porridge.