Pigeonpea revolution in Eastern and Southern Africa-

1. Pigeonpea Revolution in Eastern and
Southern Africa-A Success Story
Sep 2010
Introduction
Since ICRISAT’s inception in 1972,the pigeonpea area in Eastern and
Southern Africa (ESA) has doubled and productivity increased about 39%.
The area and yield trends are expected to rise to meet the growing domestic
and international market demands.
ESA farmers love pigeonpea for many reasons – tolerance to drought,
important source of protein for the family,vital source of scarce cash,
and provider of fodder for livestock.Farmers have evolved elaborate
intercropping systems allowing them to plant pigeonpea with maize,
sorghum and other cereals,making it highly suited to semi-arid,low soil
fertility areas.
There are huge market demand for both green and dry pigeonpea in
European and Asian markets,respectively.India imports pigeonpea grain
from ESA and Myanmar.ESA countries have very distinct advantage of
exporting during the lean season,i.e.May-November.
Successes
In the last couple of years farmers in ESA are reaping good harvests.The
major success has been the dissemination of photo insensitive Fusarium
wilt-resistant medium- and long-duration varieties of pigeonpea.New
generation medium-duration varieties are highly relevant under climate
change and associated frequent terminal droughts,to stabilize yields in
traditional areas and spread in to non-traditional areas like Northern Malawi;
Arumeru-Moshi areas of Tanzania; Mbere,Kerio valley,Koibatek of Kenya.
A number of medium-duration varieties have been released or are already
being grown by farmers who appreciate their ability to produce a crop even
when there is a total crop failure in the long-rains under bimodal rainfall
patterns.
In Babati and Karatu districts,which is the heartland of pigeonpea,improved
varieties such as ICEAP 00040 (locally called Mali which means wealth in
Swahili) and ICEAP 00053 are becoming very popular.In Babati District
adoption levels have reached 60% and pigeonpea alone contributes to more
than 50% of the cash incomes for smallholder farmers.Realizing the huge
demand for improved seeds,local agro-dealers (called agrovets) contract
trained farmers to grow high-quality seeds with the support of the extension
system in training and organizing farmers.The produce is marketed through
producer marketing groups (PMGs) that allow smallholder farmers to benefit
from collective action.
Varieties released recently or in the pipeline for release: One medium-
duration pigeonpea variety,ICEAP 00557,released and notified for
cultivation in Malawi.Two more varieties,ICEAP 00850 and 00932,released
in Kenya.
Mrs. Rose Fratern Muriang, a progressive farmer/councilor.
New generation wilt tolerant genotypes. With media in Eastern Kenya.
Farmer-preferred varieties identified through FPVS trials
Country Cultivars preferred by farmers
Medium duration Long duration
Tanzania ICEAPs 00554,00557 ICEAPs 00053,00932
Malawi ICEAPs 00557,01514/14, 01167/11 ICEAPs 00576-1,00932
Kenya ICEAPs 00850,00557, 00554