Cowpea gives boost to cassava

As a legume, cowpea builds soil fertility as well as producing a valuable crop
© IITA

Continuous cropping from year to year combined with low rates of fertiliser usage have led to exhausted, infertile soils in many parts of Africa, and low crop yields for farmers. In recent years, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa has supported a programme to introduce integrated soil fertility management, which combines use of chemical fertilisers and organic manure to address the problem. One strategy is the use of legumes, such as cowpea, intercropped with cassava. The two crops are grown in parallel strips, with farmers able to grow two or three cowpea crops before the cassava is ready for harvesting. Once the cassava harvest is complete, the two crops are rotated, allowing the next cassava crop to benefit from the improved soil fertility provided by the cowpea crop residues.