Enhancing Utilization of Finger Millet as an Alternative Cereal Crop in Sub-Saharan Africa

This research paper was developed as part of the project “Exploring wide crosses derived crop biodiversity (sorghum x maize) for climate resilience and food and nutrition security in Eastern and Southern Africa” funded in the fourth call for Proposals of the Benefit Sharing Fund (BSF) of the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

This research focuses on key challenges of finger millet production, value addition and processing as a way to improve adoption and productivity of finger millet in Africa.

Finger millet grain (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) is a rich source of nutrients compared to other cereal crops. The crop as a short season is adapted to marginal lands, tolerant to drought and can contribute significantly meeting the food demand for ever increasing population in developing countries. Finger millet has higher nutritional value compared to other cereals and can potentially make higher contribution to food and nutritional security. Finger millet grain however has anti nutritional factors such as phytin and polyphenols that reduce digestibility, palatability and availability of other nutrients. Different forms of grain pre-treatments such as boiling, cooking, roasting and soaking of the grain for specified periods improve the nutritional quality.

There is wide diversity of unexploited finger millet genetic resources that this research attempts to address. This has the potential to contribute towards sustainable agriculture particularly in drought prone and marginal areas of Africa through breeding and selection for improved varieties.