Sun shines on 'orphan crop'
A large number of smallholder farmers are growing cowpea crops on about 20 000 hectares of land, which are intercropped with mainly pearl millet or sorghum.
ILENI NANDJATO
ONDANGWA
The agriculture ministry has explained its decision to introduce five new varieties of cowpea seeds, despite the crop not having a formal market in Namibia.
Ministry executive director Percy Misika told Namibian Sun their aim is to develop and promote high-yielding and drought-tolerant cowpea varieties with high nutritive value that are resistant to both field and storage pests.
Misika said cowpea is the third most important crop in Namibia after pearl millet and maize, and this forms part of their efforts to establish a cowpea value chain that will involve farmers, seed growers, traders, processors, wholesale markets and consumer markets.
“The ministry acknowledges that cowpea is one of the 'orphan crops' that have been left to resource-poor farmers. The ministry is planning to expand the production of foundation seeds and also recruit more seed growers to ensure the multiplication of adequate certified seeds of released cowpea varieties in order to ensure that farmers have access to certified seeds for their cultivation or production,” said Misika.
Multipurpose crop
“Cowpea is a multipurpose crop which is used as grain for food, as a vegetable, fodder for animals and is also used for soil improvement as green manuring. In addition, it is very nutritious and used as relish in most poor rural households. “Therefore, we are not only promoting cowpea as a cash crop, but for its contribution to food security, especially at the household level,” Misika said. He said they are planning to develop a comprehensive cowpea value chain in consultation with their stakeholders to promote its uses in terms of increasing its production, value addition and utilisation as feed to contribute to crop yield stability and subsequently food security.
“Green seeds can be packaged and produced throughout the year, making it available in the entire country. This requires all stakeholders to join hands in order to make cowpea a crop that is well-adapted to our environmental conditions,” he said.
“The ministry also invited Namibians with interest in the seed multiplication project to express their interest to participate in seed multiplication of major staple grain crops, which also includes cowpea seeds.”
About cowpea
Misika said cowpea is well-known for its multiple uses and tolerance to sandy soil and low rainfall. It is an important crop in the semi-arid regions across Africa and Asia, he added.
He said it requires very few inputs, as the plant's root nodules are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and help to improve soil fertility, making it a valuable crop for resource-poor farmers and well-suited to intercropping.
“We have a large number of smallholder farmers growing cowpeas on about 20 000 hectares of land. Cowpea is intercropped mainly with pearl millet or sorghum. However, the yields of pearl millet and sorghum are considerably low due to lack of improved varieties, biotic and abiotic stresses, notably recurrent drought. Intercropping them with cowpea helps to improve their yield,” Misika said.
He added that although these crops are promoted equally, the development cycle of cowpea is shorter than pearl millet and sorghum.
ONDANGWA
The agriculture ministry has explained its decision to introduce five new varieties of cowpea seeds, despite the crop not having a formal market in Namibia.
Ministry executive director Percy Misika told Namibian Sun their aim is to develop and promote high-yielding and drought-tolerant cowpea varieties with high nutritive value that are resistant to both field and storage pests.
Misika said cowpea is the third most important crop in Namibia after pearl millet and maize, and this forms part of their efforts to establish a cowpea value chain that will involve farmers, seed growers, traders, processors, wholesale markets and consumer markets.
“The ministry acknowledges that cowpea is one of the 'orphan crops' that have been left to resource-poor farmers. The ministry is planning to expand the production of foundation seeds and also recruit more seed growers to ensure the multiplication of adequate certified seeds of released cowpea varieties in order to ensure that farmers have access to certified seeds for their cultivation or production,” said Misika.
Multipurpose crop
“Cowpea is a multipurpose crop which is used as grain for food, as a vegetable, fodder for animals and is also used for soil improvement as green manuring. In addition, it is very nutritious and used as relish in most poor rural households. “Therefore, we are not only promoting cowpea as a cash crop, but for its contribution to food security, especially at the household level,” Misika said. He said they are planning to develop a comprehensive cowpea value chain in consultation with their stakeholders to promote its uses in terms of increasing its production, value addition and utilisation as feed to contribute to crop yield stability and subsequently food security.
“Green seeds can be packaged and produced throughout the year, making it available in the entire country. This requires all stakeholders to join hands in order to make cowpea a crop that is well-adapted to our environmental conditions,” he said.
“The ministry also invited Namibians with interest in the seed multiplication project to express their interest to participate in seed multiplication of major staple grain crops, which also includes cowpea seeds.”
About cowpea
Misika said cowpea is well-known for its multiple uses and tolerance to sandy soil and low rainfall. It is an important crop in the semi-arid regions across Africa and Asia, he added.
He said it requires very few inputs, as the plant's root nodules are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and help to improve soil fertility, making it a valuable crop for resource-poor farmers and well-suited to intercropping.
“We have a large number of smallholder farmers growing cowpeas on about 20 000 hectares of land. Cowpea is intercropped mainly with pearl millet or sorghum. However, the yields of pearl millet and sorghum are considerably low due to lack of improved varieties, biotic and abiotic stresses, notably recurrent drought. Intercropping them with cowpea helps to improve their yield,” Misika said.
He added that although these crops are promoted equally, the development cycle of cowpea is shorter than pearl millet and sorghum.
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