Origins of Sorghum

• Geographic Origin: Sorghum originated in northeastern Africa, especially regions of present-day Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Sahel. Archaeological evidence places its beginnings at sites near the Egyptian-Sudanese border (Nabta Playa) dating as far back as 8,000B.C..^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}
• Domestication: It is one of the earliest grains cultivated by humans. Major domestication activity took place around 3000–5000 years ago in Eastern Sudan, where wild sorghum was transformed into its domesticated forms. Some botanical research suggests the possibility of multiple independent domestication events, notably for different races of sorghum.^[5][7][1]
• Spread Across Continents:
• After initial domestication, sorghum spread through Africa, adapting to various ecological niches from the Ethiopian highlands to semi-arid Sahel and West Africa.^[3][7]
• It reached the Indian subcontinent about 4,000 years ago, likely via Middle Eastern trade routes, and later arrived in China and the rest of Asia, especially via the Silk Road and maritime trade.^[2][8][1][5]
• Sorghum was brought to Europe and the Mediterranean, documented by writings from Rome at the beginning of the Christian era.^[2]
• In the Americas, the crop was introduced by colonial traders and slavers—not native to the Western Hemisphere—reaching the Caribbean and American colonies between the 16th and 18th centuries.^[9][2]
• Cultural Importance: Sorghum has long played a critical role in sustaining Indigenous and pre-colonial societies in Africa, where its hardiness against droughts and adaptability to diverse climates made it a vital staple grain. Its cultivation and culinary traditions remain central to many African cultures today.^[7]
• Scientific Note: The main cultivated species, Sorghum bicolor, stemmed from wild relatives found in Africa and spread globally, later evolving into multiple varietal races (bicolor, caudatum, durra, guinea, and margaritiferum).^[1][5]

Summary Table: Sorghum Origin

Region	First Evidence	Key Developments
Africa	8,000B.C.[3][7]	Domestication, adaptation
India	~4,000BP[1][5][8]	Secondary center of diversity
China	2nd century BCE[2]	Spread via trade routes
Mediterranean	Early Christian era[2]	Ancient documentation
Americas	16th–18th century[2][9]	Colonial introduction

In essence, sorghum is a truly ancient grain with deepest roots in Africa, shaped by Indigenous ingenuity and resilience, and later dispersed around the world by migration, trade, and colonialism.

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• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorghum     
• https://www.alimentarium.org/en/fact-sheet/sorghum       
• https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/sorghum-101/   
• https://kansasfarmfoodconnection.org/blog/2018/05/08/the-history-of-sorghum 
• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.01108/full     
• https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/sorghum-101/lifecycle/ 
• https://www.recipesandroots.ca/roots/sorghum-and-millet     
• https://sorghumtrust.co.za/origin-and-history/  
• https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/sorghum-culture