Malawi has marked a milestone in its fight against food insecurity with the release of its first early-maturing vegetable pigeonpea variety, Chitedze Pigeonpea 3 (ICPV 182026).
The variety, which has been developed through a partnership between the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the Government of Malawi, and National Research Institutions, promises quick harvests, higher incomes, and improved household nutrition.
In a statement released on Tuesday, ICRISAT Director General Himanshu Pathak described the release as a timely breakthrough for dryland farming systems.
“As climate pressures intensify, crop innovations such as Chitedze Pigeonpea 3 are essential to strengthening food and nutrition security across Africa’s drylands and beyond,” he said.
Director for the Department of Agricultural Research Services, Grace Kaudzu, said the development reflects Malawi’s commitment to science-driven agricultural transformation.
“Chitedze Pigeonpea 3 is the result of coordinated research, farmer participation, and sustained investment in national breeding programs. Such collaboration ensures that innovations respond directly to farmers’ needs and reach them faster,” she said.
The variety matures within 100–120 days and yields up to 1.6 to 1.9 tons per hectare under favourable conditions.
About 300,000 to 400,000 smallholder households in Malawi are involved in Pigeonpea production, contributing more than 20 per cent of national production.
