Nyankpala: Barely two years after its release, many farmers in the country have embraced the genetically modified cowpea variety Songotra-T, as a result of its high yields, reduced production costs, and resilience to climate change.
According to Ghana News Agency, accounts shared by some farmers and a scientist showed that Songotra-T's popularity expanded rapidly with more than 5,000 kilograms of seed sold for multiplication in 2025 alone after all seeds produced by the initial seed companies were exhausted.
Mr. Abdallah Mohammed, a farmer who cultivated Songotra-T cowpea variety at Nyankpala in the Tolon District of the Northern Region, said the variety had transformed his farming activities and prompted many farmers in the district to switch from conventional cowpea varieties to the new variety. Mr. Mohammed noted that Songotra-T required fewer pesticide applications because of its resistance to pests and diseases, adding, "With the previous varieties, we used to spray many times. Sometimes, up to six times but with Songotra-T, you only spray about two or three times before harvesting." This had reduced his cost of production, and he emphasized that for the past two years, he has concentrated on Songotra-T because it gives him more yields than the other varieties.
Mr. Mohammed further explained that he convinced his older brother to cultivate the variety last year, and after he harvested in mid-July, he planted the beans again within the same farming season. He mentioned, "Many farmers saw that my older brother benefited twice within the season and in view of that a lot of them came this year requesting for the seeds to plant." The variety's adaptability to climate change, particularly its short maturity period, has made it increasingly important as weather patterns become more unpredictable.
Madam Suweiba Abdallah, another farmer at Nyankpala, also decided to cultivate Songotra-T after observing her brother's success with the variety. She reported cultivating two acres and recording very good yields, which convinced her to embrace the variety.
The experiences of the farmers are supported by data from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), which developed the variety. Dr. Jerry Nboyine, a Research Scientist at CSIR-SARI, stated that Songotra-T had recorded rapid uptake amongst farmers and seed companies since its release in July 2024. He noted that immediately after the release, 800 kilograms of seed were distributed to eight seed companies for multiplication, with each company receiving 100 kilograms to cultivate 10 acres.
Dr. Nboyine highlighted that the variety demonstrated its value during the dry spell that affected especially the northern parts of the country in 2024. While many conventional cowpea varieties suffered significant losses, Songotra-T farmers were able to obtain appreciable yields because the crop matured within 60 to 65 days, a situation which subsequently increased demand across the country. By the beginning of the 2025 farming season, all seed produced by the initial seed companies had been sold out, while additional seed companies and farmers from Volta and Eastern Regions purchased foundation seeds for multiplication. More than 5,000 kilograms of seed were sold through official channels in 2025 alone, which were enough to support cultivation on over 500 acres using the standard planting rate of 10 kilograms per acre.
The Songotra-T was developed by scientists at CSIR-SARI after nearly 10 years of both confined and on-farm trials in collaboration with an international network of organizations across Western Africa, Australia, and the USA, coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation. The variety has a short maturity period of up to 65 days, is resistant to pests, which means it is sprayed fewer times, and it gives higher yields.