Sorghum originated in northern Africa and has spread to many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Plants will go into dormancy if the stress is too great. This makes sorghum a very important crop for millions of poor farmers around the world. Sorghum is the 5th most widely grown crop in the world. 53% of the world’s production area is located in sub-Saharan Africa, where sorghum covers the second largest area after maize. Behind the USA, Nigeria is the 2nd largest producer; Sudan and Ethiopia are fifth and eighth, respectively. The production area in Africa expanded by about 40%, although yields have not followed at the same rate.

Yield can be increased through improvements in agricultural practices, using the right quality fertilizers.