Nigeria sets to release new cowpea variety, FUAMPEA 5 In Benue

The College of Agronomy, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), Benue State formerly known as the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) is set to release a new variety of cowpea, known as FUAMPEA 5. The College also noted that as part of efforts to boost food production, the release of the improved variety would enable farmers to get bumper harvests in the state and across the country. The University had earlier released other varieties of cowpea; FUAMPEA 3 & 4 which was an improvement of FUMPEA 1 & 2 developed in 2016 to suit the climatic weather of Benue’s geographic region. According to experts at the College of Agronomy, the new variety to be developed is expected to satisfy the yearnings of cowpea farmers across the country. Daily Independent gathered that the need to develop a new variety was prompted by farmers and other stakeholders who wanted the researchers to come up with a particular size and colour of cowpea as an improvement of other ...