Five African countries account for the bulk of the continent’s sorghum production, underlining the grain’s growing importance to food security, livestock farming and agro-industry in some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
New figures from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Niger were Africa’s leading sorghum producers between 2021 and 2023, with Nigeria topping the list and ranking second globally behind the United States.
The data, published in the FAO’s Food Outlook report in November 2025, comes as governments across the continent increasingly promote drought-tolerant crops to shield farming systems from rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and land degradation.
That trend gained fresh momentum last month when Ethiopia launched a national programme to increase sorghum production, signalling the crop’s growing policy importance in a region grappling with food insecurity and climate shocks.
Sorghum is one of Africa’s oldest and most resilient cereal crops. It is cultivated widely across sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, where maize and other staples often struggle under dry conditions.
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Beyond its role as a household staple, sorghum is also used in livestock feed, brewing, flour milling and small-scale food processing, giving it an economic significance that extends beyond subsistence farming.
Nigeria remains the continent’s dominant producer, with average annual output of 6.6 million tonnes between 2021 and 2023, according to the FAO.
The grain is cultivated on about 5.2 million hectares annually, mainly in the country’s semi-arid northern belt, where farmers rely on crops that can withstand low and irregular rainfall.
Sorghum is Nigeria’s third most important cereal after maize and rice and is consumed in a wide range of traditional foods, including porridge, dough, fermented pancakes and roasted grains.
Its industrial value is also rising. In 2023, Nigeria’s AFEX Commodities Exchange estimated that around 20 percent of the country’s sorghum harvest was absorbed by the beverage and animal feed industries, reflecting stronger commercial demand.
Ethiopia ranks second in Africa, with average annual production of 4.2 million tonnes over the same period.
The crop is mainly grown in the Tigray, Oromia and Amhara regions, covering more than 1.5 million hectares nationwide. Sorghum is Ethiopia’s fourth most important cereal after maize, wheat and teff.
It remains deeply embedded in local diets, used in foods such as injera, porridge and nifro, or boiled grains. It is also processed into traditional alcoholic drinks such as tella and areke, while use in flour, snacks and baby food is expanding.
Sudan, despite prolonged political instability and conflict, remains Africa’s third-largest producer, with average annual output of 3.93 million tonnes.
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The grain is grown on more than 6 million hectares each year, mainly in Gadarif, Kordofan and Darfur. Among the top producers, Sudan stands out as the only country where sorghum is the principal cereal crop.
It is central to local food systems, especially through kisra, a traditional sorghum flatbread, and is also used in livestock feed and local brewing.
Further west, Burkina Faso produced an average of 1.8 million tonnes annually between 2021 and 2023, while Niger followed with 1.66 million tonnes.
In Burkina Faso, sorghum is concentrated in the Boucle du Mouhoun, East and Centre-West regions and remains a key ingredient in dishes such as tô, couscous, fritters and local beer known as dolo.
In Niger, where the grain is grown mainly in Niamey, Dosso and Maradi, sorghum is second only to millet and remains critical to household consumption and rural livelihoods.
Analysts say sorghum’s importance is likely to grow as African governments seek crops better suited to climate stress and rising food demand.
Compared with other cereals, sorghum generally requires less water and performs better in hot, dry conditions, making it increasingly attractive in areas exposed to recurrent drought.
Its versatility also offers governments and agribusinesses an opportunity to link food security with industrial development, especially in animal feed, beverages and local food processing.
As pressure mounts on African farming systems, sorghum is emerging not just as a traditional staple, but as a strategic crop for the continent’s future.
