February 2026 Edition
In a renewed push for healthier food systems and sustainable agriculture, stakeholders across Nigeria's agricultural sector have called for the expansion of natural and organic cowpea production as part of efforts to scale agroecological farming practices nationwide. The call was made during the February edition of the Upscaling Organic and Agroecological Farming in Nigeria meeting, organized by ORAIN on 27 February 2026. The meeting brought together researchers, farmers, development practitioners, private sector actors, and policymakers to deliberate on strategies for promoting organic and agroecological production systems, particularly focusing on cowpea — one of Nigeria's most important staple crops. Participants highlighted that scaling organic cowpea production could play a major role in improving food safety, boosting farmer incomes, and strengthening Nigeria's food systems, while also protecting the environment.
Stakeholders emphasized the need to establish a structured framework for natural cowpea production, including clear standards, farmer engagement, and quality assurance mechanisms. The discussions stressed the importance of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) — a community-based certification approach that enables farmers and consumers to collectively ensure the quality and safety standards of organic products. According to participants, such systems can help build trust in organic produce, particularly in local markets where formal certification systems are often expensive or inaccessible to smallholder farmers.
In line with this, Alh. Mahmud Sanusi offered to lead efforts in Kano and Jigawa States. Stakeholders further highlighted the need for untreated and certified organic seeds, improved traceability systems, and laboratory testing to ensure product integrity along the value chain.
To drive implementation of organic cowpea production, stakeholders proposed establishing a national workgroup on natural cowpea production and business development across Nigeria. Prof. AdeOluwa explained the plan to establish PGS groups covering all production areas, with a focus on quality production, standards compliance, and proper distribution. Prince Peter Bakare emphasized the importance of involving the Cowpea Association, led by Mahmud Kabir, and suggested combining their international trade experience with the ongoing initiatives. Prof. AdeOluwa also proposed making the upcoming training in Kano hybrid and accessible online to facilitate wider participation and faster dissemination of knowledge.
The meeting discussed the launch of a platform for natural cowpea production in the country, with Prof. AdeOluwa emphasizing the need to register interested participants and integrate training components. Prof. Johnson Ekpere congratulated the initiative, highlighting its alignment with historical agricultural practices, and suggested expanding the programme to include Phaseolus beans and black-eyed beans. Prof. AdeOluwa acknowledged the importance of intercropping and value chain approaches, while Dr. Oladaku mentioned challenges in meeting consumer demand due to supply delays. The group agreed on the need to establish work groups to address these issues and improve producer-consumer connectivity.
Dr. Luqman Oladapo discussed the potential for exploiting local coffee varieties, particularly the "Abbey" (Abaya) variety, which is resistant to insects and can be harvested without chemical treatments. Prof. AdeOluwa emphasized the importance of considering viability, demand-driven factors, and business opportunities in agriculture, noting that the work group should focus on creating opportunities for producers and ensuring quality delivery. He also highlighted the role of logistics in expanding market reach and the need for traceability through QR codes linked to ORAIN's platform. The work group, led by Gotomo Farms, aims to engage with government agencies and ensure proper implementation of agricultural initiatives.
Prof. Johnson Ekpere suggested operating within the framework of state governance systems to secure government buy-in and commitment to implement agroecological practices. Prof. AdeOluwa and Prince Bakare discussed plans to pilot production at a small scale to perfect systems before upscaling. The group agreed to finalize the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the work group on natural cowpea production, with input from all stakeholders. They emphasized the need for action over continued discussion, aiming to ensure healthy food production and consumption in Nigeria.
Mrs. Helen Emordi of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) expressed interest in the natural production initiative and offered to partner with ORAIN to develop national standards. Prof. AdeOluwa mentioned ORAIN's private standard — the Standard for Organic and Agroecological Farming in Nigeria — and invited SON to join the workgroup. They agreed to involve relevant government agencies and discussed the need for SON's representation on the workgroup.
Prince Bakare suggested discussing the initiative with the Governing Council and Board of Trustees to ensure its national scope. The meeting concluded with a call for continued collaboration and stakeholder engagement, with plans underway to formally inaugurate the Natural Cowpea Production Workgroup in March 2026.