Cowpea supply and demand in West and Central Africa

Abstract

Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is the most economically important indigenous African legume crop. Production, marketing and trade information on cowpea are necessary to promote trade, and guide research and policy. Using data from the FAO, national statistics and the Bean/Cowpea Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP), this paper consolidates information on cowpea production, marketing and trade in West and Central Africa and examines the effects of grain characteristics on prices. In the 1990s, West and Central Africa annually produced about 2.6 million tonnes of cowpea on 7.8 million hectares, accounting for 69% of the world’s production and 80% of area. Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali, Cameroon, Chad and Senegal are net exporters; Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mauritania are net importers. Official sources show at least 285,000 t of cowpeas were shipped between regions in 1998. Tarriffs, fees, high transport costs and other factors constitute constraints to cowpea trade. Seasonal supply, size, color and the level of insect damage of the grains explain between 63 and 97% of price variability in selected markets in Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria. Consumers are willing to pay premiums ranging from 0.67 to 2.0% of the average price for each gram increase in 100 grain weight. Purchasers discount from the first bruchid hole observed. In Ghana, consumers pay a premium for black-eyed beans while those in Cameroon discount black eyes. Crop production research should focus on developing a portfolio of varieties that reflect the diversity of regional preferences for cowpea grain characteristics.