The role of scientific research in pearl millet improvement and its impact in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

Pearl millet is an essential food cereal for the SSA countries with regards to its fundamental role in food security and its impact on the rural economy. History enlightens us that pearl millet is a crop linked to this part of Africa. This paper investigates pearl millet genetic improvement in SSA focusing on breeding evolution in West Africa. The objectives of paper are (i) to illustrate genetic progress on pearl millet, (ii) to assess the existing technologies on pearl millet, and (iii) to assess the contribution of genetic improvement on pearl millet yield, area and production in SSA. Through documents research, the analysis revealed that most authors describe pearl millet as a species originated in SSA and the domestication of this crop dates back to 3000? BC. It is fundamental to understand that pearl millet yielded less than 200kg/ha to more than 900kg/ha due to scientific efforts. The National Agricultural Research Institutes in collaboration with ICRISAT have contributed to pearl millet development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Research contributed to establishing gene bank, tools for selection and species improvement and the use of pearl millet as a model in agricultural improvement technology. The development and application of high-throughput genomic tools speeded pearl millet improvement. Varietal selections move from population varieties to the development of high-performance hybrids. These efforts have resulted in the release of approximately 178 pearl millet varieties in 5 majors producing countries by 2023.