Market-segmented target product profiles for realigning sorghum breeding, seed systems, and value chains in Eastern Sudan

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Introduction Sudan is a global center of sorghum origin and diversification, hosting extensive genetic diversity and strong culinary traditions. However, protracted conflict, climatic instability, and institutional fragmentation have weakened the coordination among breeding programs, seed systems, and differentiated market demand for grain quality and processing performance. Despite the abundance of genetic resources, systemic bottlenecks limit varietal uptake and sector performance. This study developed and tested a market-segmented Target Product Profile (TPP) co-design framework to realign sorghum breeding with seed system capacity and value-chain demand in Eastern Sudan. Methods A structured multi-stakeholder workshop ( n = 49) representing breeding, seed enterprises, traders, processors, finance, policymakers, and producers conducted quantitative trait prioritization using a standardized Likert scale (1–5). Complementary focus group discussions with women sorghum processors (2 groups × 30 participants) identified end-use functionality and processing constraints shaping varietal demand. Trait rankings were synthesized into market segments and translated into segment-specific TPPs and cultivar-positioning profiles. Results and discussion Five actor segments were identified: rain-fed smallholders, urban processors, seed enterprises, industrial processors, and humanitarian programs. Drought tolerance, Striga resistance, and yield stability received the highest mean priority scores (4.8), indicating climate resilience as a cross-cutting, baseline requirement. Functional differentiation emerged across segments: pasting quality dominated household staple markets, fermentation strength defined beverage markets, and light-grain color structured commercial trade. Seed availability (4.5) and storage-related traits (4.3) reflect systemic delivery constraints. Cultivar differentiation revealed distinct culinary, fermentation, commercial, and nutrition-sensitive niches aligned with humanitarian procurement and health-sensitive objectives. Conclusions and policy implications The underperformance of the sorghum system in Sudan appears to arise less from genetic limitations than from weak alignment among breeding objectives, seed delivery mechanisms, and segmented market signals. A market-segmented, gender-inclusive TPP framework provides an operational pathway for integrating resilience, functionality, and institutional coordination into breeding pipelines. This approach offers transferable insights for designing demand-led crop improvement strategies in conflict-affected and climate-stressed regions.

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