Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is ranked close to common beans as a food legume in Africa. It performs well in hotter and drier parts of Zambia replacing common bean as a food crop for grain and leaf in those areas. Cowpea is an annual crop that is more tolerant to high temperatures and extended drought periods than most other legumes e.g. Groundnuts, Soya beans or Common Beans. In Zambia cowpea is mainly grown as a substance crop for home use