Sorghum is the main crop grown in Botswana, but despite this, its consumption seems
to be declining. In order to identify constraints and opportunities for enhancing
utilisation of the crop, socio-economic and market surveys were carried in selected
urban and peri-urban areas. These studies showed that sorghum still remains the most
consumed cereal in peri-urban areas, accounting for 74% of total cereal consumption
in these areas, but only 47% in urban areas. Consumption of sorghum on daily basis
declined from 89% in 1982 to 75% in 1998 in selected villages of the Southern
District. The crop is consumed mainly as sorghum meal, prepared as fermented or
non-fermented soft (motogo) and semi-stiff porridge (bogobe). Other common
sorghum products are traditional and commercial sorghum beer (Chibuku and Power),
Morvite, and extruded sorghum-soy meals (Tsabana and Tsabotlhe). Preference for
these products is dependent on the age, place of origin, household size, educational
level, residential area and gender of the consumer.
Generally, traditionally pound sorghum flour is preferred over the commercial
sorghum flour. Several commercial sorghum flour brands are available throughout the
country, but their quality is very variable. Consumers defined quality in terms of
colour, texture and taste, and these parameters were linked to sorghum varieties and
the type of milling process. Studies revealed consumers’ desires for “modern”
products formulated from sorghum. Typical products named include bread, biscuits,
pasta, “rice”, breakfast flakes and fermented beverages (mageu). This is the first study
to identify consumer attitudes to sorghum foods in Botswana. The findings suggest
that sorghum formulated products would be acceptable if they are nutritious, healthy,
affordable, and could maintain traditional flavours.