The 4th European Sorghum Congress, held in Budapest, brought together a wide audience—from researchers and producers to industry leaders and policy-makers—to examine sorghum’s rising profile across feed, food and energy value chains. Discussions and data shared over the two-day program highlighted the need for Europe to carve out a stronger strategic space for this resilient crop.

Hosted on 8–9 October, the Congress welcomed more than 200 participants from 27 countries. Organized by Sorghum ID and FNPSMS, the event covered a broad range of topics throughout its intensive agenda, including field research, industrial innovation, regional success models and new variety development. Plenary sessions, workshops and roundtables provided a platform for redefining sorghum’s role across multiple value chains. A dedicated area featuring 15 poster presentations became one of the event’s hubs of interaction, encouraging direct exchanges between the academic and industrial communities.

Sessions focusing on animal nutrition drew particular attention for their relevance to the feed sector. Experts underscored sorghum’s reliability as an energy and protein source for swine, poultry and ruminants. With ongoing volatility in Europe’s corn and wheat supply, sorghum’s low input requirement, drought tolerance and strong adaptation to shifting climate conditions position it as a strategically important alternative for feed manufacturers. In the food segment, researchers and entrepreneurs shared updates on innovations ranging from gluten-free flours and breads to high-protein snack concepts. On the energy front, speakers detailed sorghum’s potential in bioethanol, biogas and biomass production, pointing to its expanding role in sustainable energy systems.

The host country Hungary was highlighted as a model for structuring and scaling the sorghum sector. During the roundtable titled “Success Story: Sorghum in Hungary,” experts outlined the country’s experience in variety development, production planning and industrial processing. The Congress also benefited from a global perspective, enriched by contributions from Europe, the Americas and Africa. Insights shared by Florentino Lopez of Creando Mañana, Nate Blum of the Sorghum United Foundation and Ephrem Habyarimana of ICRISAT broadened the discussion on market trends and sector dynamics.

One of the event’s standout presentations came from Agroscope’s Monia Caramma and Tiziana Vonlanthen, who introduced the Swiss-based RiSorgo project. The initiative highlights sorghum’s strong agronomic and economic potential in future food systems, emphasizing the link between science, industry and sustainability. As Sorghum ID President Pierre Pagès noted, sorghum embodies all the qualities Europe seeks in the “grain of the future.”