French cereal farmers experiment with African sorghum to beat the heat
- Europe's maize crops have been hit hard by this summer's heatwaves and ongoing drought, with French producers saying almost half of this year's harvest is unusable.
- To prepare for hotter, drier conditions, some cereal farmers are experimenting with sorghum – a crop from sub-Saharan Africa that requires less water than maize – although making a living from it remains a long way off.
- Issued on: 20/09/2026 - 10:07 4 min Reading time Sorghum is the world's fifth most important cereal crop, after wheat, maize, rice and barley.
Unverified
- Europe's maize crops have been hit hard by this summer's heatwaves and ongoing drought, with French producers saying almost half of this year's harvest is unusable.
- To prepare for hotter, drier conditions, some cereal farmers are experimenting with sorghum – a crop from sub-Saharan Africa that requires less water than maize – although making a living from it remains a long way off.
- Issued on: 20/09/2026 - 10:07 4 min Reading time Sorghum is the world's fifth most important cereal crop, after wheat, maize, rice and barley.
Sources: RFI