The new released cowpea will address farmers' need, says an IITA Prof

A plant breeder and seed specialist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA),  Prof. Lucky O. Omoigui has said that a recently registered and released cowpea named FUAMPEA 5, aka ALKAM SUPER will enhance farmers' commercialization for its high yield and stability against stresses and striga over other existing old varieties.

The new cowpea was among the varieties of crops recently registered and released at the 35th National Varietal Release Committee ( NVRC)  meeting, chaired by Prof. Olusoji Olufajo held at Lafia Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo state.

The official registration of the cowpea was justified in the press release made available to us for its commercialization attributes after doing well in several multi-location and on-farm trials across all agro-ecological zones in Nigeria.

The press statement stated that the registration and release of the new crop was upon the request of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), formerly the University of Agriculture and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), with other collaborators.

The full text of the press release reads: " To increase farmers’ adoption and market acceptability of improved cowpea in Nigeria, the Joseph Sarwuan Takar University Makurdi (JOSTUM), in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), has released a new cowpea variety, FUAMPEA 5, a high-yielding Striga-resistant variety with desirable seed and consumer sensory qualities to Nigerian farmers for commercialization.

The new variety, also known as ALKAM SUPER, was released through a collaborative effort between JOSTUM and IITA, with funding from the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). The official approval was given at the 35th Meeting of the National Committee on Naming, Registration, and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breed/Fisheries held in Ibadan on 17 April 2025. The variety was released based on its remarkable attributes, such as high yield, resistance to striga gesnerioides, tolerance to bacterial blight, has light-brown seed coat texture, large seed size, short cooking time, and adaptability to intercropping; and it meets the requirements of the farmers and consumers’ quality traits

" The new variety undergone several multi-locations and on-farm trials that spread across different agro-ecological zones in Nigeria including Makurdi in Benue State, Biu in Borno State, Zaria in Kaduna State, Mokwa in Niger State, Ganjwa in Bauchi State, and Abuja in FCT. The new variety, FUAMPEA 5 has an impressive yield increase of 139 % over the traditional landrace ’Madara’, and a 39% yield increase over the already existing improved variety called SAMPEA 19. It is poised to make a real difference in farmers’ fields. 

The potential yield of the new variety is 2.9 tons/ha and has an indeterminate growth habit. This significant yield boost is expected to transform the lives of cowpea farmers in Nigeria, providing them with a more productive and resilient crop. In addition, the new variety possessed most of the quality traits desired by farmers and the market that endeared it to other varieties. The seed quality is attractive and appealing to consumers and is already in the hands of farmers."