Thousands of Afghan Rice and Potato Farmers to Benefit from Improved Irrigation and Disease Prevention Systems
Publisher: FAO
Date: 2015
Topics: Land, Renewable Resources
Countries: Afghanistan
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a leguminous forage crop. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a forage legume, which can be grown in relatively infertile sandy soils with a minimum annual rainfall of 200mm. It is a fast growing, drought resistant crop, which also improves soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Cowpea forage is usually superior to other forage legumes in terms of both quantity and quality. Cowpea crop is grown as a green manure and also a cover crop to increase soil fertility, retain moisture and reduce soil erosion (Koralagama, K. D. N. et al. 2002).
It is suitable for Afghanistan summer environmental conditions. Cowpea performed very well in Kabul, Herat, and Balkh Provinces in the summer of 2010. It is a fast growing, annual, summer forage legume. It is an excellent quality crop for fattening both sheep and cattle, and is also regarded as good feed for milking cows. In a crop rotation program, cowpea can significantly improve soil nitrogen levels by nitrogen fixation or by incorporation in the soil as a green manure crop. Cowpea also offers an alternative for grain production. In addition, cowpea is tolerant to drought and heat.