Cowpea

Niger is the world’s second-largest cowpea producer after Nigeria – its black-eyed seeds are fried into popular kosai fritters.

An annual legume with climbing or trailing stems, trifoliate leaves and pale violet or white flowers. It produces long pods with seeds that usually have a dark patch around the hilum – hence the English name black-eyed pea. It originates from Africa, tolerates drought and heat, and as a legume it fixes nitrogen and improves soil fertility. Both the dry seeds and the young pods and leaves are eaten, and the leafy stems are valuable fodder.

Significance in the country

In Niger cowpeas are usually grown together with pearl millet in the same fields, which protects the soil and gives farmers a second crop. Cowpea dishes are an important source of protein, and surpluses are exported to Nigeria.

Where it grows

Throughout the agricultural south, most of all in the Maradi, Zinder and Tahoua regions, where they are intercropped with millet.

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