Global Collaboration on Sorghum and Millet

Preparations are underway for planting sorghum during the rainy season in Madagascar. Members of the National Sorghum Team and researchers marked and cleared the DSH and VATE plots at the Miadana Majunga research station. The Miadana Majunga research station is one of several field tests for the GCSM-supported APEMBA project’s accelerated adaptation trials for open-pollinated sorghum varieties. On-farm trials also begin with this rainy season as the project moves closer to official seed registration. Learn more about the accelerated sorghum adaptation trials: https://bit.ly/40qbf99 #Madagascar #GCSM #Sustainability #Research #FoodSecurity #GlobalCollaboration #GlobalPartnership, #FoodIndustry, #Sorghum, #Millet/#Millets #climatesmart #climatesmartagriculture #ValueChain

Madagascar’s National Sorghum Team called together lead farmers for the accelerated sorghum adaptation trials project in December for training and learning. The event in Kirindy Andranomena, Morondava, illustrated the role of FOFIFA, sorghum growing techniques and sorghum use. The two-day session ended with practicing the growing techniques and distribution of seed packets. GCSM and FOFIFA are using the mother-and-baby trial methodology for this phase. In this approach, a centralized “mother” plot showcases the varieties to spark interest, while smaller “baby” plots on individual farms test performance in varying local conditions. Farmer participation and feedback play a critical role in this evaluation process. Lead farmers will participate by planting up to 0.25 hectares of these varieties, providing crucial feedback for final evaluations. Read more here: https://bit.ly/4jlmzMG #Madagascar #Sorghum #GCSM #Kstate #FOFIFA #ClimateResilient #ClimateSmart #GlobalCollaboration #GlobalPartnership #FoodIndustry #ValueChain #FoodSecurity #Research

Local farmers in Madagascar are receiving more than 2,000 packets of improved sorghum variety seeds to conduct the next round of field trials as the APEMBA project moves into the next stage of official seed registration in Madagascar. Four improved sorghum varieties from GCSM’s Pan-Africa network are under consideration for official registration and release by the Malagasy national seed control agency, Service Officiel de Controle des Semences (SOC). SOC requires two seasons of official monitoring, evaluation and observation of plant traits for their distinctiveness, uniformity and stability before they are cataloged and released for large-scale demonstration and scale-up. Farmer testing and feedback are vital parts of the SOC monitoring process. GCSM and FOFIFA are partnering with several local organizations to assist with training farmers and collecting feedback. The training is both theoretical in the classroom and practical in farmers' demo plots. As the first official monitoring season comes to an end with the dry-season harvest, seed packets are prepared and distributed to farmers participating in on-farm trials, a critical piece of the second-season evaluation. Learn more about the seed registration process here: https://bit.ly/4g02dFL #Sorghum #GCSM #Kstate #Madagascar #FOFIFA #Sustainability #Research #FoodSecurity #GlobalCollaboration #GlobalPartnership #FoodIndustry #climatesmart #climatesmartagriculture #climateresilient #valuechain

GCSM is celebrating Dr. Alemu Tirfessa as a member of our team. He serves as the director of technical cooperation where he provides on-the-ground training and support for GCSM in Madagascar for accelerated adaptation trials for new sorghum varieties. Alemu served as the Ethiopia country coordinator for the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Sorghum and Millet. He coordinated the application of improved seed technology for official registration, release, multiplication and scaling through multiple seed system pathways in Ethiopia. We’re excited to welcome Alemu, and are looking forward to his continued leadership in the accelerated sorghum adaptation trials in Madagascar. Learn more about Alemu:?https://bit.ly/4gMD2Yf #GCSM #Ethiopia #Madagascar #globalcooperation #sorghum #millet #climatesmart #climatesmartagriculture #ValueChain #GlobalPartnership #PanAfrica

A new online, interactive Sorghum School is now live at www.sorghumschool.com. The school is a collaboration between the Global Collaboration on Sorghum and Millet and Kansas State University. Courses are self-paced and provide tools that can be used for offline activities to aid in retention. The course is aimed at technical personnel and individuals with INGOs, NGOs, private companies and government organizations across the value chain that will support on-ground program delivery and policy implementation. To access the training, go to www.sorghumschool.com and create a free account. Watch the video below for a quick overview, or click the link to join the platform and enroll in the course. #GCSM #sorghum #sorghumschool #madagascar #kstate #globalcollaboration #globalpartnership #valuechain #climatesmart #climatesmartagriculture #foodsecurity

Madagascar’s APEMBA team recently visited the Tozzigreen field tests to see the evolution of the sorghum project as the accelerated adaptation trials for new sorghum varieties continue. APEMBA, which stands for Agricultural Project for Enhancing Sorghum, Millet, and Peanuts Business Activity in Madagascar (APEMBA), is a joint effort between FOFIFA and GCSM funded by USAID. The field tests at Tozzigreen are part of the Climate-Adapted Cropping Systems & Value Chain Development in Sorghum, Pearl Millet & Groundnut project, a USAID-funded effort led by the Global Collaboration on Sorghum and Millet in partnership with the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Peanut at the University of Georgia. #Madagascar #USAID #GCSM #FOFIFA #Sustainability #Research #FoodSecurity #GlobalCollaboration #GlobalPartnership, #FoodIndustry, #Sorghum, #Millet #climatesmart #climatesmartagriculture #ValueChain?

Last month, Mina Tsiriarijao, coordinator of the APEMBA project, was a featured speaker at a conference organized by the Athénée Saint-Joseph Antsirabe (ASJA) for its agronomy students. The objective was to raise awareness of sorghum cultivation and the development of sorghum value chains in Madagascar to guide the students in choosing their memory projects. Mina Tsiriarijao explained the generalities of the value chain and the objectives and activities of the APEMBA project. Luc Dolet, director of CADEVAL, then presented the different sorghum products and their importance. Ratianjanahary Voninduche Stella, a representative of the FID Antsirabe (Fonds d'Intervention pour le Développement), presented the program and the various possible partnerships related to APEMBA's activities. ASJA is a private university with a professional vocation created by the Congregation of the Fathers of the Sacré-C?ur Déhoniens-Antananarivo. #Madagascar #GCSM #FOFIFA #Sustainability #Research #FoodSecurity #GlobalCollaboration #GlobalPartnership, #FoodIndustry, #Sorghum, #Millet #climatesmart #climatesmartagriculture #ValueChain

Hot off the press! The GCSM Newsletter is out! Learn about the newly launched online Sorghum School, the Madagascar National Sorghum Platform Meeting, ongoing accelerated sorghum adaptation trials and our developing partnerships in the latest edition. Read the newsletter: https://bit.ly/4gLWWCw Want to keep in touch with us? Sign up for our e-newsletter and stay up-to-date on what’s happening with GCSM’s work to develop sorghum and millet production and value chains. Newsletter sign-up: bit.ly/GCSMNews #Madagascar #GCSM #Sustainability #Research #FoodSecurity #GlobalCollaboration #GlobalPartnership, #FoodIndustry, #Sorghum, #Millet/#Millets #climatesmart #climatesmartagriculture #ValueChain

When Addisu Fekadu Andeta came to the Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University in 2022 as a Mandela Washington Fellow, he could not have predicted the connections he would make or the impact it would have on his research project. Dr. Andeta first met Nat Bascom, who is the director of leadership and engagement for the Global Collaboration on Sorghum and Millet and was assistant director of GCSM’s predecessor organization, the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for the Collaborative Research on Sorghum and Millet (SMIL). SMIL had active projects in Ethiopia, Senegal, Madagascar and Niger. Through SMIL, Andeta was able to access and test a new sorghum variety developed for Ethiopia. The SMIL-developed Merera variety is an early-maturing, high-yielding, drought-tolerant variety resistant to local pests. It also produces significant biomass that is used to feed livestock. The Merera sorghum performed very well, showing that its flour is compatible with ensete flour, and has good functional characteristics and a sweeter flavor. But Andeta needed help to evaluate the composition and properties of the dried flours for his project. That’s where Elisa Karkle, assistant professor of grain science at K-State and the Department of Grain Science and Industry came on board. “During his Mandela fellowship, Dr. Andeta presented the work he had done on co-fermentation of ensete and sorghum,” Karkle said. “He was looking for a partner to evaluate the composition and properties of dried flours. Once SMIL got involved, they saw the opportunity to take it further into product development.” Karkle said the dry mix provides value addition to ensete and sorghum products. The characterization of ensete flour and the new sorghum variety may help support their application in other products, including gluten-free options. “Sorghum provides protein, minerals and antioxidants to the mix,” Karkle said. “Co-fermentation with ensete pulp greatly reduced the grittiness associated with raw sorghum flour, enhancing the textural parameters of the final product. Sensory analysis conducted in-country was a strong point of the project.” The result is a nutritionally dense, dry biscuit mix that allows flexibility for use in homes, schools, small bakeries and local distribution centers while adding value to sorghum and kocho (ensete) flours. Read the full story: https://bit.ly/3D0JCvj Staley School of Leadership #GlobalCollaboration #GCSM #Agriculture #Sustainability #ClimateChange #GlobalPartnerships #Ethiopia #FoodSecurity #Sorghum

The Global Collaboration on Sorghum and Millet (GCSM) at Kansas State University and its national Malagasy partners were honored to host Maria Price Detherage, USAID’s Deputy Assistant Administrator (DAA) of the Africa Bureau, in the field at Marolonaky, Tuléar II in southwest Madagascar.? This field visit provided the opportunity to demonstrate the development of sorghum systems and value chains as a key climate-resilient cereal crop to meet nutritional and market needs in Madagascar. During the visit, there was time for interaction with our network partners, including small-holder sorghum producers, farmer associations, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), and several of our Malagasy sorghum master’s level students. The DAA was accompanied by representatives from the Africa Development Bank, the USAID Mission Director and Coordinator of Feed the Future in Madagascar and FOFIFA. USAID Maria Price Detherage #FOFIFA #Sorghum #Madagascar #GCSM #Sustainability #Africa #FoodSecurity #GlobalCollaboration #ClimateSmartAgriculture #ClimateSmart #ValueChain