Almost all countries are facing challenges in food supply…There is one plant that has great potential, namely sorghum, that needs to be developed.
Jakarta Chief of the Presidential Staff (KSP) Moeldoko has emphasized the importance of strengthening research on sorghum as an alternative to rice amid the current global food crisis.
He conveyed this while welcoming food researchers from 12 countries—Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Jordan, Mongolia, and Pakistan—in Jakarta on Saturday.
“Almost all countries are facing challenges in food supply. Therefore, I encourage food collaboration from food researchers from various countries. There is one plant that has great potential, namely sorghum, that needs to be developed,” he said in a press statement received here the same day.
Indonesian researchers are starting to develop superior varieties of sorghum that are more durable and have higher productivity, he informed.
According to Moeldoko, sorghum is a very useful or superior plant since it offers many benefits, both in terms of nutrition and health.
“Sorghum is very good for people who want to consume foods with high protein while avoiding diabetes and choosing gluten-free options,” he added.
On the same occasion, Indonesian food researcher Soeronto Human said that sorghum is a superior food and suitable to be cultivated in Indonesia. Unfortunately, until now, most Indonesian people are continuing to choose rice and wheat as their main staples.
Therefore, the government and the community must pay more attention to sorghum development and promote sorghum as an alternative food.
Earlier, food researchers from 12 countries participated in joint training and research related to the sorghum plant in Jonggol, West Java, on Wednesday (July 27, 2022).
During the training, food researchers shared their knowledge and experience in the development and processing of sorghum into food sources, bioenergy, and natural sweeteners.
Sorghum seeds can be made into rice and processed into flour, and the stems of sorghum can be processed into liquid sugar, crystal sugar, or bioethanol.
Afterward, the remaining stems, leaves, and roots of sorghum can be further processed into agricultural fertilizers and animal feed.
Source: Antara News