On 16 May, the IITA Kano Station hosted a one-day meeting organized by the Cowpea Breeding Team of the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, in collaboration with the IITA’s Cowpea Breeding Program. The meeting aimed to develop a product profile for upcoming cowpea varieties to consider the requirements of both cowpea consumers and growers in developing new varieties for Nigeria. This strategy is believed to facilitate the adoption of new varieties by farmers and consumers when such varieties jointly designed by all stakeholders are developed and deployed.
Stakeholders from various aspects of the cowpea value chain in Nigeria participated in discussions to guide the breeding team on what the market needs and prioritize their varietal development accordingly.
The Head of IITA’s Cowpea Breeding Program based at Kano Station, Boukar Ousmane, and scientists from the station attended the meeting. Other participants from the national partners included breeders, entomologists, agronomists, nutritionists, processors, extension agents, a youth group representative, seed companies, the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, and gender specialists. During the meeting, Prof. Muhammad Lawan Umar, a cowpea breeder from the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Zaria, mentioned that the meeting’s objective was first to operationalize the cowpea product design team for Nigeria and review target product profiles. This team will help breeders develop products and design them to be used as a guiding template for developing new varieties.
Lawan noted, “I benefitted tremendously from this meeting because there were experts from different components, and we need their help to develop new cowpea varieties that will be acceptable to stakeholders in Nigeria.”
In an interview, Prof. Hajara Shuaibu, a socio-economic expert from Ahmadu Bello University, mentioned that she attended the meeting to leverage her experiences with the farmers and consumers in the field. She said everything should be demand-driven, and the problem must be understood before proffering a solution. She emphasized that researchers often develop solutions based on what they assume the farmers need.
The meeting aimed to bring together experts to share ideas on what farmers need based on their experiences as researchers. She described the meeting as timely and productive.
Dije Ibrahim, a food processor from Tudun Wada LGA, Kano State, found the meeting highly valuable and enlightening, benefiting significantly. She desired to attend future sessions and seek further knowledge and skills.
Contributed by Sarah Sallau
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