Pearl Millet as a Sustainable Alternative Cereal for Novel Value-added Products in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is an underutilized small grain, nutrient-rich cereal crop cultivated in the arid and semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa. However, several barriers exist that preclude the full exploitation of the crop such as low yield, inadequate processing technologies, lack of extension support and limited productive varieties. Furthermore, anti-nutritional factors in the grain such as polyphenols reduce digestibility, palatability and bio-availability of other nutrients. Reduction or elimination of these anti-nutritional factors through pre-treatments like boiling, cooking, roasting, soaking improves the nutritional quality of the grain. Underutilized pearl millet genetic resources and processing has the potential to contribute towards sustainable agriculture particularly in drought prone and marginal areas of Africa. This review focuses on nutritional value, pearl millet cultivation and utilization challenges, processing and value addition interventions to improve crop adoption and productivity in sub-Saharan Africa.