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Cowpea in marginal cropping
areas of South Africa
C
owpea (
Vigna unguiculata
) is a versatile crop primarily
cultivated in the semi-arid regions of tropical Africa.
Cowpea grains are a relatively cheap source of dietary
protein. The dry grains of cowpea are used as edible seed
and its young leaves, fresh pods and green seeds are also used as a
vegetable (
morogo
) and eaten with porridge (
pap
).
Cowpea also provides fodder for livestock and is an important
rotation crop because it improves soil fertility through its ability to
fix atmospheric nitrogen.
Given the global climatic change, cowpea has the potential to
contribute to food security and poverty reduction in Africa. In South
Africa, cowpea is traditionally grown in Limpopo, Mpumalanga,
North West Province and KwaZulu-Natal. However, the yield
obtained by subsistence farmers, who grow old varieties and don’t
apply proper production practices, is very low – ranging from about
250 kg/ha to 1 000 kg/ha.
The main cowpea production constraints in South Africa include
lack of improved varieties and good quality seed, insect pests such
as aphids, thrips, pod-sucking bugs, blister beetles and bruchids.
A greater proportion of land in smallholder farming systems is
degraded. Crops like cowpea are believed to be adapted to a wide
range of ecological niches, low input agriculture and may have
tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. The dual-purpose nature
of cowpea makes it an important crop for inclusion in food and
nutrition security as well as climate change adaptation strategies
for South Africa.
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) identified cowpea as a
potential crop to diversify the food production base and reduce
food and nutrition insecurity, particularly for resource poor house-
holds in marginal cropping areas.
In 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, six cowpea genotypes were evaluated
for their adaptability and production potential under dryland
conditions, through on-farm participatory variety testing and de-
monstrations.
The varieties were grown in drought-prone areas: Lotlhakane village
– outside Mahikeng in the North West Province, Tooseng Village
– outside Lebowakgomo and Metz village, Maruleng in Limpopo
and Casteel village which is near Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga.
Farmers’ selection criteria varied, some preferred multipurpose
use, early maturity or fodder/leaf yield, whilst others preferred grain
yield or combinations of two or more traits.
Farmers in Lotlhakane area preferred new candidate cultivar
98K-476-8 and check variety PAN 311. In Tooseng village, farmers
chose PAN 311 and 98D-1399, while in Metz farmers chose
ITOOK 1263 for grain production and Bechuana white for fodder/
leaf production. Casteel farmers chose ITOOK 1263 for grain and
their local variety for fodder.
Over the two seasons, the average grain yield of the better
performing variety, ITOOK 1263, ranged from 970 kg (at Tooseng)
to 2 500 kg (at Metz). It was demonstrated that by introducing
improved varieties and management practices, the yield obtained
on farmers’ fields can be improved.
Post-harvest handling, value adding and linking
farmers to markets are the key activities required to
promote cowpea in these and similar areas.
53
May 2016
ON FARM LEVEL
Seed
Cowpea / Semi-arid regions / Rotation crop
NEMERA SHARGIE,
ARC-Grain Crops Institute, Potchefstroom
1: The Casteel village cowpea demo trial.
2: A cowpea demo trial at Metz village.
3: The Tooseng village demo trial.
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