Sorghum: Africa’s Ancient Whole Grain for Food, Porridge, and Bee
Sorghum: The Fifth Most Important Cereal Crop in the World
Sorghum is a gluten-free whole grain and the fifth most important cereal crop in the world, grown for food, porridge, and beer. In Africa, nations such as Nigeria and Sudan are leading producers, and in some regions like Burkina Faso and Sudan, sorghum provides up to one-third of total daily calories.
Recently, sorghum has gained popularity in the United States for its gluten-free benefits and nutritional value. Unlike many modern grains, sorghum grown from traditional hybrid seeds is naturally non-GMO, retaining its nutrient-rich outer layers.
Uji — Kenyan Sorghum Cereal
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup sorghum
- 3 cups water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium pot. Stir well and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve warm with butter and sugar to taste.
Sorghum thrives in hot, dry regions where other grains struggle, making it a lifeline for food security in climate-stressed parts of Africa.
Sorghum as Food and Beer
Sorghum is eaten in many forms across Africa. It is cooked whole, ground into flour for flatbreads and porridges, or boiled like rice. Common sorghum foods include:
- Flatbread — usually unleavened, fermented or unfermented.
- Thin or thick porridge — a staple in many African homes.
- Boiled grain dishes — similar to maize grits or rice.
- Deep-fried grain snacks.
Another important use is traditional beer brewing. Sorghum is the key ingredient in opaque beer — a mildly alcoholic, low-filtered African drink. In Southern Africa, brands like Chibuku are popular commercial versions of this home-brewed style.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Nigeria’s temporary barley import ban boosted the production of sorghum-based beers, creating a thriving local industry.
