Knowra Cowpea Cowpea Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a legume cultivated for its edible seeds, green pods, and leaves. It is especially adapted to hot climates and seasonal drought.
Vigna unguiculata : The botanical species that includes cowpeas and several cultivated forms. Cowpea is the common name for this species.
Black-eyed pea : A cowpea cultivar with a dark mark near the seed’s attachment point. It is one of the best-known cowpeas eaten as a dry pulse.
West Africa : The western region of Africa, spanning the Atlantic coast and inland Sahel. West Africa is a major center of cowpea diversity and cultivation.
Food security : Reliable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for an active, healthy life. Cowpea supplies food in regions where other crops may struggle with drought.
Legume : A plant in the family Fabaceae, whose fruits are pods and whose roots often associate with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Cowpea belongs to this plant family and shares its pod-bearing form.
Cowpea leaves : The edible foliage of cowpea plants, commonly cooked as a vegetable in parts of Africa and Asia. Leaves are harvested as food alongside cowpea seeds and pods.
Domestication of cowpea : The process by which wild Vigna unguiculata populations became a cultivated food crop. Domestication established cowpea as a crop in African agriculture.
Plant protein : Protein obtained from plant foods, including legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. Cowpea seeds provide dietary protein in many food systems.
Cowpea varieties : Cultivated forms of cowpea selected for traits such as seed color, maturity, and growth habit. Variety shapes which cowpea traits suit a farm or meal.
Cowpea fodder : Cowpea stems, leaves, and other plant material used as livestock feed. The crop can provide both grain and forage.
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