Impacts of Cowpea Innovation Platforms in Sustaining TL III Project Gains in Ghana

Abstract

Over the past decades, farm-level yields of cowpea have remained low (0.6–0.8 t/ha) compared to what is observed on research fields (1.8–2.5 t/ha). Lack of farmer access to quality seeds of improved varieties and inappropriate cultural practices are the major factors responsible for the low productivity of the crop. The use of Innovative Platforms (IPs) as a strategy to facilitate farmer access to quality seeds was, therefore, considered under the Tropical Legume (TL) III and USAID Cowpea Outscaling projects in Northern Ghana. The platform activities started in 2016 with a total membership of 100, which increased steadily to 820 by December 2018. The research team of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) trained platform members to produce certified seeds to be supplied to target communities, thereby enhancing smallholder farmers’ access to improved varieties. A total of 1848 members of the platform were trained in various farm operations. A revolving system was set up in which each farmer group was supplied with improved seed and after harvesting returned the equivalent of seed received to the platform. Having been trained to produce their own seed, members of the platform are self-reliant in acquiring improved seed and are actively engaged in various operations that sustain the gains of the two projects that have been phased out.