Currently, the world population is increasing, and humanity is facing food and nutritional scarcity. Climate change and variability are a major threat to global food and nutritional security, reducing crop productivity in the tropical and subtropical regions of the globe. Cowpea has the potential to make a significant contribution to global food and nutritional security. In addition, it can be part of a sustainable food system, being a genetic resource for future crop improvement, contributing to resilience and improving agricultural sustainability under climate change conditions. In malnutrition prone regions of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries, cowpea has become a strategic dryland legume crop for addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. Therefore, this review aims to assess the contribution of cowpea to SSA countries as a climate-resilient crop and the existing production challenges and perspectives. Cowpea leaves and immature pods are rich in diverse nutrients, with high levels of protein, vitamins, macro and micronutrients, minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates compared to its grain. In addition, cowpea is truly a multifunctional crop for maintaining good health and for reducing non-communicable human diseases. However, as a leafy vegetable, cowpea has not been researched and promoted sufficiently because it has not been promoted as a food security crop due to its low yield potential, susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, quality assurance issues, policy regulation, and cultural beliefs (it is considered a livestock feed). The development of superior cowpea as a leafy vegetable can be approached in different ways, such as conventional breeding and gene stacking, speed breeding, mutation breeding, space breeding, demand-led breeding, a pan-omics approach, and local government policies. The successful breeding of cowpea genotypes that are high-yielding with a good nutritional value as well as having resistance to biotics and tolerant to abiotic stress could also be used to address food security and malnutrition-related challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is a valuable crop for subsistence farmers in sub‐Saharan Africa. Characterization and evaluation of cowpea germplasm collections based on seed yield for genotype × environment (GE) interactions can assist in improving the adaptability and stability across environments. The objectives of this study were to determine genetic variability in the germplasm collection, to determine the magnitude of GE interactions, to identify superior genotypes across environments, and to determine the phenotypic correlations among the seed yield and related traits. Seventy‐five cowpea genotypes were planted in three different locations during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 cropping seasons, and data were collected for seed yield and its components. Highly significant (P < .001) genotype effect for seed yield traits suggested great genetic differences among the tested populations. Significant (P < .05) genotype × location interaction (GL), genotype × season interaction (GS), and genotype × location × season interaction (GLS) effects were observed for seed yield traits, indicating the presence of complex GE interactions. The GLS effect was more than the GL and GS effects for seed yield, 100‐seed weight, number of pods, and pod width, highlighting the difficulty in genetic improvement of these traits. Cowpea genotypes 6 (ARC006), 49 (ARC049), 63 (IT90K‐76), and 57 (PAN311) showed high yield, wide adaptation, and stability. Genotype 58 (NGOII) and 1 (ARC001) showed high yield, instability, and specific adaptation. No clear mega‐environments were identified. Significant (P < .05) correlations were observed among most of the traits evaluated. The results obtained can serve as a guide and basis of germplasm management and improvement of cowpea seed yield.

Bambara groundnut is a highly nutritious underutilized legume crop, which can be cultivated in unfavorable environments, has the potential to address food security and can significantly contribute to climate-smart agriculture. The objectives of this study were to determine the phenotypic diversity and characterize a southern African bambara groundnut germplasm collection for grain yield and yield components, to identify superior bambara accessions and to determine the correlation between measured traits. The 100 bambara accessions were planted in two different locations over two seasons. There was significant variability among the accessions, locations, seasons and their interactions for all traits. Low broad-sense heritability values (<0.5) were observed for almost all traits. Significant positive correlations between all measured traits were observed. High-yielding accessions; WS 42 (AS), MV 67-1, K 5, AS 9, SCORE 1 and SB 12-3 were identified. Bambara accessions 224 (RF-7684), 179 (AB 16-5C), 121 (Red Ex Zimbabwe), 62 (SB 8-3), 9 (SB 4-1), 181 (SB 8-1B), 89 (AS 20), 217 (RF-6221), 94 (K 5), 177 (S1 Sel2) and 74 (AS 5) were associated with a high grain yield, plant spread and plant height. These accessions could be used as potential parents in a breeding program for the development of high-yielding varieties.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculate L.) is an important legume crop due to its nutritional value and it has the potential to contribute to the alleviation of malnutrition in the world. The study objectives were to determine the variability among 70 cowpea genotypes for the concentration of mineral elements and phytochemical contents, identify superior genotypes for mineral elements and phytochemical contents, and to determine the correlation among traits. Data were collected from 70 cowpea genotypes planted in two different locations during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 cropping seasons in South Africa. Grain samples were analysed for selected minerals such as Fe, Zn, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and phytochemical contents including total phenolic and flavonoid. Genotype, locations, seasons, and their interaction effects were highly significant (p < 0.001) for all traits. Best linear unbiased predictors identified superior genotypes for all traits in both locations. There were significant (p < 0.05) correlations among most of the traits evaluated. The high negative association of total phenolics with most of the minerals indicated that selecting for total phenolics may unintentionally reduce the content of minerals. These results will contribute to the development of improved cowpea cultivars for nutritional value towards alleviating malnutrition in the world.