A review of regional production and trade data for sorghum and pearl millet in southern Afr ica reveals that while these crops remain important in the production system, they are being slowly replaced by maize and wheat in the average diet. The area sown to sorghum and pearl millet is still increasing in most SADC countries. Contrary to popular opinion, there is little evidence that these crops are being replaced by maize in the semi-arid farming system, at least since 1980. However, the production growth derived from rising crop areas has been largely offset by declining grain yields. Productivity levels remain so low that sorghum and pearl millet have difficulty competing in national and regional grain markets. One result is that, except in South Africa, sorghum and pearl millet remain largely semisubsistence crop enterprises. In addition, low sorghum and pearl millet yields have contributed to SADC's growing dependence on maize and wheat imports. The prospects for expanding sorghum and pearl millet production in the SADC region are briefly considered.