Overview

Improving the income and food security of small-scale sorghum and millet farmers in Zambia and Tanzania through the identification of new market opportunities and related constraints in the supply chain is the focus of this market development research for the Sorghum, Millet, and Other Grains CRSP. The productivity and profitability of sorghum and millet in these countries is low and so is the income of small farmers. Improving technology and linking producers to markets are important parts of the solution to the problem.

The research activities will focus on Tanzania and Zambia. These two countries are selected because sorghum and pearl millet are important food crops for low income households and new commercial markets for sorghum and millet have been identified that offer opportunities for small farmers to increase productivity and incomes. The proposed research is carried out in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania, and the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Education, the University of Zambia (UNZA), Lusaka, Zambia, with whom we have had a successful collaboration with for the past two years. Research activities will be augmented by a strong capacity building and training program. Training programs will support the study of two M.S. students in agricultural economics at SUA, two senior projects at UNZA, and two M.S. students in agricultural economics