Bonface Orucho
African bakers and food manufacturers are turning indigenous crops into breads, cakes, pasta and snacks, linking the growing market for gluten-free food to a wider effort to build food systems that can withstand climate change.
At Kirsten Bakery in Nairobi, cassava, millet, sorghum and other naturally gluten-free ingredients are increasingly being used to make bread, cakes and pastries.
The bakery is part of an emerging shift in which crops traditionally grown for household consumption or sold in local markets are being developed into higher-value food products, giving farmers and processors new commercial reasons to invest in varieties suited to Africa’s changing climate.
The climate case is becoming more urgent because most African farming depends on rainfall, leaving food production highly exposed when rains arrive late, end early or fail altogether.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that between 90% and 95% of Africa’s food production is rain-fed, while climate change has reduced growth in the continent’s agricultural productivity by 34% since 1961.
The panel also found that climate change lowered wheat yields in sub-Saharan Africa by an average of 2.3% between 1974 and 2008, with drought, extreme heat and changing rainfall expected to place further pressure on the crop production.Cassava, millet and sorghum are not immune to severe weather, but many varieties can produce food under hotter and drier conditions in which more water-demanding crops struggle.
The Food and Agriculture Organization describes cassava as tolerant of drought and capable of producing acceptable harvests on marginal land, while millet and sorghum have long supported communities farming in dry parts of Africa.
Expanding the use of those crops in processed foods could therefore help countries diversify their food supplies, create markets for farmers in drought-prone areas and reduce their exposure to disruptions in imported wheat.
The opportunity is being strengthened by growing consumer demand for gluten-free food, as consumers become more concerned about gluten sensitivity, digestion and diet.
The global market for gluten-free bakery products was valued at US$2.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$7.38 billion by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights.Judith Moraa, a Nairobi-based nutritionist, says growing awareness of gluten-related health problems ss changing what consumers looks for when buying bread and other baked foods.
“Nowadays, people are choosing gluten-free foods not only because they have coeliac disease but also because they are sensitive to gluten and experience allergic reactions after consuming products that contain it,” Moraa says.According to Moraa, naturally gluten-free crops such as cassava, millet and sorghum can provide useful dietary fibre and allow consumers to eat a wider variety of locally grown foods.
For African food companies, the crops offer an opportunity to respond to changing diets while building supply chains around ingredients that are already familiar to local farmers.
At the University of Pretoria, food science researcher Daddy Kgonothi has developed a patent-pending protein concentrate from the marama bean, a drought-resistant and nutrient-rich legume native to Southern Africa.
The concentrate is designed to help gluten-free dough behave more like wheat dough, potentially reducing the number of ingredients manufacturers need to produce bread with an acceptable texture.
“A growing number of consumers with coeliac disease are unable to consume gluten-containing foods such as bread and therefore rely on alternative gluten-free products,” Kgonothi said.“
However, many commercially available gluten-free products are expensive due to the large number of ingredients required to achieve desirable product quality.
”Kgonothi’s invention, which emerged from his doctoral research and remains at the prototype stage, combines marama bean protein with starch to improve the strength and texture of gluten-free dough.
The University of Pretoria said the technology could help manufacturers produce more affordable gluten-free foods while creating commercial demand for a crop adapted to dry environments.
Climate-focused food innovation is also extending beyond drought-resistant crops to the problem of food waste, with researchers exploring how rejected produce can be converted into ingredients instead of being discarded.
In South Africa, approximately 140,000 tonnes of potatoes valued at R759 million were lost or wasted across the value chain in 2023, according to Potatoes South Africa. Many potatoes are rejected because they fail to meet retailers’ expectations for size, shape or appearance, despite remaining suitable for consumption.At Stellenbosch University, food science researcher Tanja du Toit has developed gluten-free breads, muffins and pancakes using flour made from lower-grade potatoes, showing how processing can create value from produce that might otherwise be discarded.
“Potato flour is naturally gluten-free, which presents an enormous opportunity for product development, especially using lower-grade potatoes, since the defects in potatoes are masked when they’re made into flour,” she said.University of Pretoria researchers have also developed gluten-free ready meals, including beef and potato lasagne, using lower-grade potatoes.
Consumer trials found that willingness to buy the products increased after shoppers learned that they could help reduce food waste, suggesting that environmental concerns are beginning to influence purchasing decisions alongside price, convenience and health.
Governments are also beginning to develop rules that could support wider trade in alternative flours. In July 2026, the Codex Alimentarius Commission approved a Nigerian proposal to begin developing an international group standard for flours made from roots and tubers, initially focusing on yam and sweet potato.
The Codex proposal argues that internationally agreed standards could improve food safety and make it easier for producers to sell climate-resilient staples to commercial bakeries and export markets.
Cassava flour is already covered by an international Codex standard, while the proposed work would establish common requirements for yam, sweet potato and potentially other tuber flours.
In northern Kenya, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) has tested teff in drought-prone Marsabit, where research found that the crop can tolerate considerable soil-moisture stress and has become an alternative to maize in some areas.
A KALRO-linked study found that teff’s ability to grow in dry conditions made it suitable for Marsabit, although low soil fertility and limited access to improved seed continued to restrict yields.
Other crops are attracting similar interest, including fonio in West Africa and sorghum, millet and amaranth in Eastern and Southern Africa, as manufacturers develop snack bars, flour blends and other foods aimed at consumers seeking simple, locally sourced ingredients.
The transition will still require investment in reliable crop supplies, food-safety systems, processing equipment and product development, because climate resilience on the farm will not create a profitable industry unless processors can produce affordable foods that consumers enjoy.
Farmers will also need access to improved seed, extension services, storage and stable markets, while manufacturers must ensure that demand for premium products translates into better and more reliable earnings for growers.
Republished from bird story agency: https://agency.birdstoryagency.com/stories/how-changing-diets-are-creating-new-markets-for-africa-s-indigenous-crops?locale=en
