Chapter 15. An assessment of sorghum and millet in Mali 485
Both sorghum and millet production in Mali have been stagnant during much of the 1990s and began
only trending upwards as areas for these crops increased at the expense of cotton (figure 2). There is
no significant change in yields for these crops for the last 20 years. Low average sorghum and millet
yields (between 0.5 and 1 tonne per ha) (figure 3) is symptomatic of the total neglect shown for these
crops despite the existence of improved varieties and management techniques that can easily double or
triple average yields. Microeconomic constraints for technology adoption, market failures, and the lack
of public and private resources for more professional extension services are the main drivers.
Figure 2. Cereal production patterns in Mali in tonnes
Source: FAOstat (2011)
Figure 3. Crop productivity patterns in Mali hg/ha
Source: FAOstat (2011)
0
200
400
600
800
1.00 0
1.20 0
1.40 0
1.60 0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Maize Millet Sorghum0,0
0,5
1,0
1,5
2,0
2,5
3,0
3,5
4,0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Maize Millet Sorghum