UN Photo/Fred Noy
A farmer is harvesting sorghum plants in Southern Darfur from seeds donated by the FAO (Food & Agriculture Organization).
Fortified Sorghum Being Developed
To meet the growing needs of international food aid,
U.S. sorghum producers, in cooperation with Kansas State
University, are developing new micronutrient-fortified blended
food products.
Why use sorghum? It is priced competitively with other food
aid grains (corn, wheat, and rice), and many food deficit countries in Africa, including Sudan, Ethiopia, and Chad,have a history of sorghum production. If local and regional procurement
is possible, food aid costs can be reduced. In countries that are
heavily dependent on corn, sorghum can be seen as an alternative product.
When fortified and blended in a product, it contains a level
of carbohydrates similar to corn-soy blend, along with higher
levels of protein, fat, and some micronutrients. Researchers say
that further evaluation, including field testing, nutrient evaluation, and economic efficacy, will be required, but they are optimistic about the future of sorghum-based food aid products.
CSB-based rations.18 This may not be a hard-and-fast rule
since new products continue to be developed. Two examples
are cereal-based nutrition bars with nutrition benefits similar
to LNS products, and new CSB formulations with additional
micronutrients. Another category is new fortified, blended
grain-based products such as Sorghum Soy Blend.
Potential cost-saving mechanisms—such as local
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