Millet is a cereal, also called millet or sorghum, it is used for human and animal food.
Mainly cultivated in Africa and Asia, this very nutritious cereal has many advantages:
- Able to grow in dry or low water content areas
- Need little water for its growth
- Rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins
- Low glycemic index
- Reduced synthetic pesticide requirements
- Nourishes soils and makes them sustainable
(Source UN)
Climatic disturbances are causing the increase in desert areas in sub-Saharan Africa associated with random rainfall, severe weather hazards which lead to soil erosion and reduced agricultural yields. Agronomic research is therefore essential to enable local varieties to cope with all these changes. Among them, millet has tremendous potential and has the profile to adapt to these changes and respond to food security issues.
Burkina Faso launches cultivation of ultra-resistant hybrid millet
Burkina Faso recently approved the commercial use of its first millet hybrid called Nafagnon. This millet is a first generation cross of two genetically different varieties, but it retains the best properties: it is therefore not a genetically modified variety but naturally selected in order to increase its yield and its resistance to diseases. Nafagnon millet has a high yield, around 3 tonnes per hectare, while its early maturity helps it overcome water stress and is more resistant to downy mildew.
Morija encourages and trains Burkinabè farmers in sustainable agriculture that respects the environment, in particular by encouraging agroecological practices and limiting the use of chemicals. In his Bocage Family Fields project, it is the main grain that farmers grow!
