Page 127 - Agriculture_Form_3

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

can continue giving harvests for 4 - 6 weeks. This gives several rounds of produce
and regular income. Harvested leaves and pods should be kept in a cool, shaded
place and sold quickly.
Dry cowpeas are harvested later for mature seeds. Most varieties are ready for
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harvest in 10 - 14 weeks after planting, depending on climate and variety. The
crop is ready when most pods are brown and dry, and the seeds are hard. A simple
way to check is to shake the pod; if the seeds rattle, they are ready. Harvesting is
mostly done by hand or using a sickle. It is best to harvest early in the morning
or late in the afternoon to avoid seed loss from brittle pods. Harvested pods must
be handled with care and kept dry before further processing.

Postharvest management of cowpeas

After harvest, cowpeas must be handled properly to reduce losses. Fresh pods
should be kept in the shade and sold quickly. For dry cowpeas, pods are dried
under the sun on clean mats or tarpaulins. After drying, the pods are threshed
to remove the seeds. The seeds are then cleaned and dried again before storage.
Seeds should be dried to about 10 - 12% moisture content level. If a moisture
meter is not available, other local techniques such as biting, grain sound and
pressing can be used. Dry cowpeas are best stored in clean, dry, airtight containers.
These include plastic buckets with lids, sacks lined with plastic (hermetic bags),
or sealed bottles. Some farmers apply natural materials like dry ash or neem
leaves to protect seeds from bruchids. Similarly, synthetic pesticides may be
used following recommendations by extension workers.
Marketing cowpeas
Cowpeas can be sold as fresh vegetables or as dry grain. Fresh leaves and green
pods are usually sold in local markets. They must be sold quickly to avoid
spoilage. Dry cowpeas can be stored and sold when prices are better. Cowpeas
may be sold directly to consumers, middlemen, or seed companies. Selling
through farmer groups or cooperatives can give better prices. Group marketing
also reduces transport and handling costs. Value of cowpeas can also be added
by cleaning, grading, or packaging the cowpeas before sale as well as making
products like flour, snacks and fritters. Improving storage facilities, identifying
available buyers, and planning production based on demand are key factors that
helps to reduce marketing challenges.

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