Processing Millet

Spore on the millet revival:

Image courtesy of Spore

For decades, millet has been neglected in favour of imported cereals. But now this crop, which is well adapted to the climatic conditions of the Sahel, is making a comeback: research is under way into new varieties and products that are attractive and easy to use for consumers...The rise in prices of rice and wheat has created fertile ground for a revival in millet consumption. It is a process that is being further advanced by an increase in output and by improved processing and marketing techniques designed to offer consumers a range of products that are more varied, simpler to prepare and more ‘modern’. Since the 1980s, various regional initiatives aimed at promoting local cereals – among them IMS, Procelos, Rocafremi and Senegal’s PPCL – have been making efforts to develop new products with a view to making local cereals more profitable: among the novelties are ready-to-cook preparations (tô, pap or couscous), ready-to eat foods (pastes, biscuits, dumplings, pancakes, baby foods) and industrial products (starch, malt).

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