Participatory Evaluation of Sorghum Processing and Sensory Attributes in Mali: Methodology for Improving Food Security Outcomes from Variety Development Efforts

Krista Isaacs (), Marjolein Smit, Bakary Samaké, Fred Rattunde, Fatimata Cissé, Abdoulaye Diallo, Mamourou Sidibe and Eva Weltzien
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Krista Isaacs: Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Marjolein Smit: Independent Researcher, 1290 Geneva, Switzerland
Bakary Samaké: Center for Biodiversity and Agrosilvopastoral Initiatives, Bougouni BP 68, Mali
Fred Rattunde: Agronomy Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Fatimata Cissé: Laboratoire de Technologie Alimentaire, Institut d’Economie Rurale, Bamako BP 258, Mali
Abdoulaye Diallo: Programme Sorgho, Institut d’Economie Rurale, Bamako BP 258, Mali
Mamourou Sidibe: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Bamako 320, Mali
Eva Weltzien: Agronomy Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: A requirement for the successful development of new sorghum varieties in Mali is effective evaluation of grain qualities, since sorghum is a staple food crop on which farmers rely for food security. The diversity of grain quality and social aspects that determine varietal acceptability for processing and cooking, however, make this a challenging task. As the processors of sorghum grain in households, women’s knowledge of grain quality traits can contribute to this work. Our objective is to understand opportunities to use grain quality traits to identify experimental varieties that may contribute to food security. Culinary evaluations were conducted in nine villages across two sorghum production zones. Three teams of women, one per replicate, processed, cooked and evaluated five test varieties in each village. Sensory evaluations were conducted by 25 taste testers per village. The major varietal differences observed included the decortication losses, women’s appreciation for ease of processing, and consistency of the prepared food. The participatory evaluation of the quality testing results led to the development of the concept of ‘food yield’. Discussion of these results focuses on designing cost-efficient grain and food quality evaluations that rely on women’s expertise as processors and strengthens their role in the variety development process.

Keywords: sorghum; traits; culinary tests; organoleptic; processing; gender; participatory plant breeding (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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