A research program led by SLU reveals the opportunity for African farmers to obtain a substantial share of the growing durum market.
Durum wheat is an important food crop in the world and an endemic species of sub-Saharan Africa. In the highlands of Ethiopia and the oases of the South Sahara this crop has been cultivated for thousands of years. Today, smallholder farmers still cultivate it on marginal lands to assure production for their self-consumption. However, durum wheat has become a major crop and the pasta and couscous industry currently purchase durum grain at prices 10 to 20% higher than bread wheat. Africa as a whole imports over € 4 billion per year of durum grain to provide the raw material for its food industry. Hence, African farmers could obtain a substantial share of this large market by turning their production to this crop.
Durum breeding programs in sub-Saharan Africa has shown how modern breeding methods could be used to deliver grain in seasons of just 92 days of length and daytime temperatures above 32°C, when it is too hot to grow other crops.
This review describes the ability of releasing durum wheat varieties adapted to all growing conditions of this part of the world, from the oases of the Sahara to the highlands of Ethiopia.
"Durum wheat cultivation in Sub-Saharan Africa is often forgotten, but it holds a great economic potential to shift rural communities out of poverty and great rural jobs. Our review article for the first time summarizes the current knowledge, takes an in depth look at its current status, and uses concrete success examples of Ethiopia and Senegal to define a road map for future development", says Filippo Bassi, senior scientist at ICARDA's durum wheat breeding program.
Read more
