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Improving cultivation of cowpea in West Africa

OAR@ICRISAT

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/10804/
 
Title Improving cultivation of cowpea in West
Africa
 
Creator Kamara, A Y
Omoigui, L O
Kamai, N
Ewansiha, S U
Ajeigbe, H A
 
Subject Crop Improvement
Cowpea
African Agriculture
Legume Crops
West Africa
 
Description Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is a legume crop of vital importance to the livelihoods
of millions of people in West and Central Africa (WCA). It provides a nutritious grain and a less
expensive source of protein for both rural and urban poor consumers (Inaizumi et al., 1999).
It can be grown and harvested in as little as 60–80 days. This enables households to harvest
leaves and grains for consumption or sale during the ‘hungry season’ when grain reserves
from the previous cereal harvests have been depleted and current crops are not ready for
harvest. Most of the world’s cowpea (>90) is grown in sub-Saharan Africa, most of which
is in West Africa particularly in Nigeria and Burkina Faso. Over 12.61 million ha are grown
to cowpea worldwide, with an annual grain production of about 5.59 million tons (FAO,
2014). Of this amount, Africa accounts for 94% of grain production. Nigeria is the largest
cowpea producer in the world and accounts for over 2.5 million tons grain production from
an estimated 4.9 million ha (FAO, 2014). Other major producers in West Africa are Mali, Niger
and Senegal. Cowpea cultivation is mainly under traditional systems and cowpea grain yields
in farmers’ fields are low especially in the West African sub-region (0.025–0.3 t ha−1). This is
caused by severe attacks of pest complexes, diseases, low soil fertility, drought, inadequate
planting systems, inappropriate cultivars and lack of inputs (Ajeigbe et al., 2010a).
In addition to biotic and abiotic stresses, existing planting practices limit crop yields. Despite the
availability of Striga and disease-resistant cowpea cultivars, grain yields on farmers’ fields are
still low. However, on-station and researcher-managed plot yields are high and encouraging.
Grain yields ranging from 0.5 to 2.76 t ha−1 have been reported in sole crop (Ajeigbe et al.,
2005, 2008), whereas grain yields ranging from 0.37 to 1.27 t ha−1 have been reported in
intercrop in the savannahs of Africa (Ajeigbe et al., 2005, 2010b). Yield potential assumes
unconstrained crop growth and adequate management that avoids limitations from nutrient
deficiencies; inadequate planting systems and water stress and reductions from weeds, pests
and diseases (Evans and Fisher, 1999). Considering the large differences between farmers’
yields (0.3 t ha−1) and experimental station yields (1.5–2.5 t ha−1), potential for on-farm yield
increase in the region is high. This has stimulated interest in agronomic practices that could
enhance crop yields. Some of the agronomic practices that may increase cowpea productivity
are optimal plant population, appropriate planting date, nutrient management, integrated
pest management and suitable cropping system.
 
Publisher Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing
 
Contributor Sivasankar, S
Bergvinson, D
Gaur, P M
Agrawal, S K
Beebe, S
Tamò, M
 
Date 2018
 
Type Book Section
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Rights —
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/10804/1/Improving-cultivation-of-cowpea-in-West-Africa.pdf
Kamara, A Y and Omoigui, L O and Kamai, N and Ewansiha, S U and Ajeigbe, H A (2018) Improving cultivation of cowpea in West Africa. In: Achieving sustainable cultivation of grain legumes Volume 2: Improving cultivation of particular grain legumes. Burleigh Dodds Series in Agricultural Science . Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, pp. 1-18. ISBN 978-1786761408