Dr. Peter Asungre, a plant breeder with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) at the Manga Research Station in the Upper East Region, has appealed to the government to include pearl millet in its flagship Feed Ghana Programme.
According to Dr. Asungre, pearl millet remains one of the most drought-tolerant and nutritious cereals in Ghana and plays a vital role in ensuring food security, particularly in northern Ghana, where rainfall is erratic.
He made this call during a field day organized for about 80 farmers from six districts — Zebilla, Binduri, Bawku, Garu, Tempane, and Pusiga — at the SARI Manga Station in the Binduri District. The event, supported by VACS-Seed Systems Group (SSG) and the AVISA Network, formed part of efforts to engage farmers in selecting improved pearl millet varieties that are suitable for local conditions.
“Attention has to return to millet. Very little is said about millet in the country. There is no subsidy for millet. Even under the previous ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ initiative, millet was not included,” Dr. Asungre said.
“We are therefore encouraging the current government to add pearl millet to the Feed Ghana Programme so that farmers can go into large-scale production. It can even become a national crop because it performs well across ecological zones,” he added.
Dr. Asungre explained that pearl millet is a drought-resistant and early-maturing crop, thriving with as little as 250–500 millimetres of rainfall annually. Beyond its resilience, he mentioned the crop’s high micronutrient content, noting that it is rich in iron and zinc, which makes it beneficial for lactating mothers, children, and infants.
He further noted that industries are increasingly using pearl millet in baby food production and other food recipes, while farmers also rely on its stalks for livestock feed and firewood, making it an economically valuable crop.
The research scientist revealed that SARI is now developing hybrid millet varieties capable of producing higher yields compared to open-pollinated varieties (OPVs). He said the ongoing trials involve about 250 hybrid lines, which farmers are helping to evaluate through participatory selection.
“We want to show that hybrid millet can perform very well in our environment. The farmers are helping us screen and select the most promising varieties,” he explained.
Dr. Asungre also disclosed that the research team is addressing challenges such as bird attacks by developing millet heads with bristles and compact structures to discourage birds from feeding on the grains.
The field event allowed farmers to interact with researchers and observe the new millet varieties. Many of the farmers expressed satisfaction with the demonstration and pledged to adopt the new varieties to improve yields and enhance food security in their communities.
“We are happy with what we have seen today. The new millet varieties look very good and mature early. We will adopt them because they will help us get food before the long-season crops are ready,” Moses Kombat, a farmer, said.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Manga
