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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: SOUTH AFRICA – SORGHUM
HEADLINE: Saving sorghum: The push to Reclaim Southern Africa’s Native Grain
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: 1/27/25 AT 8:10AM
BYLINE: Zaheer Cassim
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Johannesburg, South Africa
VIDEOGRAPHER: Zaheer Cassim
VIDEO EDITOR: Zaheer Cassim
SCRIPT EDITORS: DLJ, MAS, Baragona
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original
PLATFORMS (mark with X):
TRT: 2:20
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TV/R
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) Climate change is making it harder for African farmers to grow the continent’s staple crop, maize. But food activists in South Africa say a return to traditional diets could help. Reporting from Johannesburg, Zaheer Cassim explores the benefits of sorghum and why this indigenous African grain is disappearing from grocery shelves.
((NARRATOR))
Sorghum has long been a dietary staple across Africa. The grain is native to the continent. It requires less water than maize and is packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and protein, earning it the title of a "superfood."
Still, South African farmers produce about 80% less sorghum than they did 30 years ago, official data shows.
[[FOR RADIO: Siphiwe Sithole is an author and farmer.]]
(Siphiwe Sithole, Author and Farmer (English 25 SECONDS))
“When you look into the pros and cons of sorghum, we should be growing sorghum. Because [of] the small-scale farmers. If you think of how many smallholder farmers we have in this country, if they were all to grow - a majority of them were to grow - we would have enough sorghum in this country.”
((NARRATOR))
Food activist and chef Mokgadi Itsweng is calling for a return to traditional diets including sorghum.
(Mokgadi Itsweng, Food Activist)) (((English xx SECONDS))
“We have a connection with sorghum that is spiritual. So if we had to go back to eating sorghum, no one is going to eat the maize – no one’s going to want - because maize is also not sustainable.”
Maize is South Africa’s primary staple food and its most widely grown crop, according to government data.
But severe weather linked to last year’s El Niño pushed up maize prices across much of Southern Africa.
Sorghum is far more drought-tolerant and can grow on less fertile land. But sorghum production takes up more space and is more labor-intensive and costly to grow, say experts.
((NARRATOR))
Today, sorghum is found mostly in wealthy areas and is billed as a premium product. Economists say farmers see a limited market for it.
[[FOR RADIO: Wandile Sihlobo is the chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa.]]
(Wandile Sihlobo, Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa ((English xx SECONDS) (ZOOM)
“The decisions are made by the farmers on the basis of the profitability and in fact if you talk to food processors, they likely want to process sorghum and put it out there on the market, but they are not just seeing the mass demand for it.”
((NARRATOR))
Food activists say boosting demand for sorghum could spark more production and reduce costs, making this superfood a viable alternative to maize.
((Zaheer Cassim, VOA News, Johannesburg, South Africa))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing AvailableNo
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJanuary 27, 2025 08:08 EST
BylineZaheer Cassim
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
