Strengthening sorghum and millet value chains for food, nutritional and income security in arid and semi‑arid lands of Kenya and United Republic of Tanzania (SOMNI)

Sorghum, finger millet and pearl millet are more resilient and better adapted to the challenges of climate change, low soil fertility and limited moisture levels of the arid and semi-arid (ASAL) regions. Despite their nutritional value, demand for these grains is limited because they are used for a narrow range of food and value-added products for household consumption and mass markets. If used in combination with dryland legumes (such as cowpea, pigeonpea and green gram), however, they can significantly contribute to enhancing household food and nutrition security.

Investments in improving the production, availability, storage, utilization and consumption of these food crops contribute to the household food, nutrition and income security of ASAL communities. SOMNI was designed to build on the successes of an earlier project: Development of a robust commercially sustainable sorghum for multiple uses (SMU) value chain in Kenya and United Republic of Tanzania.