Production Status, Breeding Priorities and Genetic Resources of Cowpea in Post‐Civil War Somalia

ABSTRACT Over the past three decades, Somalia has experienced recurrent civil conflic and prolonged droughts. These crises have displaced farming communities, weakened traditional seed systems and disrupted local crop diversity. Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is Somalia's most important food crop after maize and sorghum, where it provides households with affordable protein and supports the sustainability of low‐input farming systems. This study aimed to assess the current status of cowpea production, identify breeding priorities across three agroecological zones in southern Somalia, and establish a core germplasm collection for future breeding programs. Farmer surveys were conducted in Baidoa, Afgoie and Jowhar, involving interviews with 150 farmers using a semi‐structured questionnaire. Over 60% of farmers cultivated cowpea for both household consumption and market sale. While cowpea was predominantly grown as an intercrop, nearly 45% of farmers in Afgoie produced it as a sole crop. Regional differences in varietal preferences were evident: more farmers in Afgoie preferred erect, uniformly maturing cultivars with dark‐red seeds, while other regions showed more diverse preferences. Production constraints also varied by region, with drought being the primary limitation in Baidoa, and pests and diseases the major challenges in Afgoie and Jowhar. A germplasm collection representing Somalia's cowpea diversity from pre‐ and post‐civil war periods was established, supplemented by global diversity and accessions with desirable agronomic traits. These genetic resources, together with farmer insights, provide a foundation for targeted breeding to improve cowpea productivity and support future food security in Somalia.