Comprehensive Analysis of Sorghum Production in Ukraine and the World

In the modern world, facing the challenges of food security and the need to adapt agricultural production to climate change, sorghum appears as one of the most promising crops. Due to its exceptional drought resistance, unpretentiousness to soil conditions and efficient water consumption, sorghum provides stable yields even in regions with adverse climates, where traditional crops such as corn are ineffective. Its versatility covers a wide range of uses: from a valuable source of protein and energy for livestock to the production of biofuels, starch, alcohol and gluten-free products for the food industry. Sorghum is also recognized as a "smart food" due to its high nutritional value (source of vegetable protein, iron, B vitamins, antioxidants), lack of gluten and potential medicinal properties, in particular for diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases. Despite the global growth of interest in sorghum and its position as the fifth largest grain crop in the world, its cultivation in Ukraine remains at a relatively low level. The problem lies in the underutilization of sorghum's potential due to a number of limiting factors, such as fragmented or outdated production data, insufficient awareness of farmers, lack of proper infrastructure for processing and marketing, limited access to quality seed material, as well as the impact of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, which led to a sharp reduction in sown areas in 2022-2023. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the global and Ukrainian dynamics of sorghum production, highlighting the main trends, such as fluctuations in sown areas (a decrease of 9.2% in the world in 2013-2023) and gross harvests, as well as regional differences in yields. Particular attention is paid to the impact of climate change and the consequences of military operations on the agricultural sector of Ukraine. The study identifies key economic and agrotechnical prospects for sorghum, the need to form a strategy for the development of the industry and assess the export potential of Ukraine. The proposed scientifically based recommendations are aimed at stimulating the development of this crop to increase the country's food, feed and energy security, contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture.