Nigeria is an agriculturally blessed nation with diverse plants in different regions. There is a lot of rainfall in the country except for the Sahel Savannah in the far northeast, which is severely dry. This makes it suitable for Cowpeas production.
Cowpeas (Vigna Unguiculata) are annual legumes that grow in arid and semi-arid areas. It serves as human and animal food around the world. Places like Asia, Africa, Europe, the United States, and South America produce and consume this crop.
Countries With Major Production of Cowpeas
Nigeria and Niger produce 66% of cowpeas worldwide. Cowpeas are mostly exported from Niger and imported from Nigeria. Other notable producers in the Sahel region include Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal, and Mali.
Read also: How To Grow Cowpeas In South Africa
Benefits of Growing Cowpeas In Nigeria
There are lots of benefits in growing Cowpeas, however, the following are a few of them.
- It thrives in Sandy soils or poor soils because it doesn’t need fertilizer to grow properly.
- It tolerates crop rotation, has 25% protein, other vital vitamins.
- The plant can withstand drought, thrive in a wide range of soils, and because it is a legume, it refills low-fertility soils when the roots die.
- During the dry season, farmers can sell the stems and leaves as animal feed to supplement their revenue.
Read also: How To Grow Cowpeas In Zambia
Varieties of Cowpeas To Grow In Northern Nigeria
The northern part of Nigeria is the perfect region for growing cowpeas because the crop is drought tolerant. These varieties are gotten from agro-ecological zones like the Northern Guinea savanna, Sahel, Sudan savannah, etc. The following are a few recommended varieties to grow in northern Nigeria.
1) T99K-573-1-1 (SAMPEA14)
It can thrive in arid areas and it’s resistant to Fusarium wilt and Striga. Its growth habit is determinate, seed size is medium, the seed coat is rough, and it’s colored with white and brown helium. It takes a medium of 70-75 days to mature.
2) 99K-573-2-1 (SAMPEA15)
It can survive in arid areas and it’s resistant to Striga. Its growth habit is determinate, seed size is medium, the seed coat is rough, and it’s colored with white and black helium. It takes a medium of 70-75 days to mature.
Read also: How To Grow Cowpeas In Uganda
3) 09 1055-6 (FUAMPEA 1)
It can grow in arid areas and it’s resistant to Striga. Its growth habit is determinate, seed size is medium, the seed coat is rough, and it’s colored with white and brown helium. It takes a medium of early 60-75 days to mature, and it doesn’t take long to cook.
4) 1051-1 (FUAMPEA 2)
This variety is best for intercropping. It can thrive in arid areas and it’s resistant to Striga. Its growth habit is indeterminate, the seed size is medium, the seed coat is rough, and it’s colored with brown and brown helium. It takes a medium of 70-75 days to mature and it doesn’t take long to cook.
5) 89KD-288 (SAMPEA 11)
It can thrive in arid areas and it’s resistant to nematodes. Its growth habit is indeterminate, the seed size is large, the seed coat is rough, and it’s colored with white and brown helium. Its maturity date is late 80-85 days and it also supports intercropping.
Conclusion
I hope you find this article helpful. I would like to hear from you. So, let me know if you have any questions about the different varieties of Cowpeas in Nigeria. Also, learn how to grow Cowpeas in containers.
