Ramatu Garba – Kano
The Director of the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA), Bayero University Kano, Prof. Jibrin Mohammed Jibrin, has advised Nigerians to change their diet to sorghum to improve their health and promote food security in Nigeria.
Mohammed Jibrin, gave the advice on Tuesday in Kano, at a press briefing on the outcome of a research on composite sorghum flour.
The project “Sustainable Packaging Solution for Composite Sorghum”(SUSPND) is a collaborative effort by CDA, University in Reading, UK, ICRISAT, and TAZIJ Nigeria Limited funded by GCRF Agrifood Africa innovation awards round 6.
He said the research was initiated to address grassroots problem and reduce import and promote food Security.
“The research was also aimed at promoting indigenous food such as composite sorghum, our traditional food has been neglected which are more nutritious and easier to get,” he added.
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The lead researcher CDA, Dr Hakeem Ajeigbe, said consumption of Sorghum flour would reduce poverty, increase economic prosperity, especially for women and children, as well as address challenges in food processing, distribution, and storage.
He noted that the research will improve the availability and accessibility of safe healthy, nutritious, and sustainable local food, helping to meet the environmental challenges of climate change and resource scarcity.
“The Global Challenge Support Fund is a fund whereby the UK government link research institutes in developing countries and the project is a follow-up of a similar project last year, where we looked at several combinations of sorghum, legumes, and cereals.”
Earlier, the Head of the Department of Food Science and Technology BUK, Dr. Hauwa Ladi-Yusuf, said the composite sorghum flour with soya beans and small cassava targets all age groups, especially diabetic patients.
The Country Director, of ICRISAT, Dr Ignatius Angarawai, appealed to the general public to desist from consuming hybrid food as it leads to cancer.
Also, the Chief Executive Officer of TAZIJ Nigeria Limited, Hauwa Muhammad, said the composite sorghum flour is a complete nutrient for diabetes and old people.