Dr. John Eleblu, In Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a very important multi-functional legume crop crucial for food and nutrition security. It is the main protein source for the rural folks. It is an early maturing crop that is used by farmers to bridge the hunger gap (the period between seasons where the major crops are not available). 

Cowpea is an important component of resource-poor production systems contributing not only to human and animal nutrition but to soil fertility through its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. Africa accounts for more than 90% of global dried cowpea production. It is widely grown for grain production by smallholder and subsistence farmers in all agro-ecological zones across SSA. Cowpea serve as a key dietary protein source with grains containing about 20% crude protein and most essential amino acids. The dry grain, fodder fresh-shelled grains, fresh young leaves and green pods are all edible crop parts that are consumed in large quantities in SSA. 

Despite its importance, cowpea faces numerous biotic and abiotic constraints, including diseases, pests, drought, soil infertility, and erratic rainfall, particularly in marginal environments. However, compared to other annual crops in drought-prone areas, cowpea exhibits favorable production and nutritional characteristics. 

Dr. John Saviour Yaw Eleblu, Coordinator Research, Francophone Africa at WACCI is leading a project on cowpea at WACCI. After organizing two nationwide stakeholder value chain workshops in 2019 on Cowpea, the key challenges, bottlenecks, and needs of value chain actors have been properly identified. Farmers, traders, marketers, and other value chain actors have identified earliness, pest and disease tolerance, white or cream grain bearing, easy to cook, and more yield as the key traits of interest and preference in Ghana. 

Under this project, WACCI will serve as a hub for the sustainable development of innovations that impact Cowpea Value chains by offering platforms for human capacity development, gene bank services, platforms for collaborations, cutting-edge research (utilizing tissue culture technologies), speed breeding, and innovative approaches leading to commercialization through the Kofi Annan Enterprise Hub for Agricultural Innovations (KAEHAI). 

The objectives of Dr. Eleblu’s research include conducting impactful research resulting in high-quality, relevant knowledge on cowpea for the development of climate-smart varieties that meet market demands, build capacity in West and Central Africa through targeted training, experiential learning, and by building skills across career stages to facilitate excellent, impact-driven research and develop and build new, sustainable partnerships on Cowpea at the regional level. Dr. Eleblu’s research seeks to accelerate the development and adoption of improved cowpea varieties, addressing both nutritional and livelihood needs across Africa. 

In the end many improved and unique mutant lines from our breeding pipeline are to be shared with regional partners for testing across multiple NARI’s sites in Africa for quick release and commercialization, Dr. Eleblu added. This will speed up the development and release of new improved adaptable climate-smart varieties of Cowpea across Africa for adoption and nutrition as well as livelihood impacts.