Burkina Faso : Bt cowpea to be popularised soon after more than a decade of trials

In Burkina Faso, cowpea, also known as bean or « benga », is a legume of great importance to local agriculture, playing a crucial role in food security and producers’ incomes. For years, however, this crop has been facing a serious threat: Maruca vitrata, a destructive caterpillar that attacks cowpea flowers, leaves and pods, causing losses of up to 80% of harvests (INERA). Faced with this persistent threat, farmers have found themselves in a quasi-permanent struggle, using pesticides that are often costly and ineffective in the long term. In response to this scourge, Burkina Faso’s Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) launched an ambitious project in 2011 to develop a genetically modified cowpea variety, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cowpea. Designed to resist Maruca vitrata, Bt cowpea is the result of years of research aimed at protecting crops without resorting to harmful and expensive pesticides. After more than ten years of experimentation, this project is entering its final phase, which could pave the way for mass distribution of this resistant variety as early as 2025, according to project managers.

In the field with farmers confronted with Maruca vitrata

In Nambe, a village of about 25 km from Ouagadougou in the rural commune of Koubri, farmers experience the devastating effects of Maruca vitrata on a daily basis. Andre Nikiema, a 60-year-old farmer, works a one-hectare field to feed his family. He recounts this major difficulty, which has become more or less traditional. « When my cowpea starts to flower, the caterpillars attack immediately. I have to use pesticides, but these products, often designed for other crops such as cotton, are expensive and sometimes ineffective, » he explains. In the face of this torment caused by the destructive caterpillar, Mr Nikiéma expresses hope that improved seeds will come onto the market. « If there are more effective seeds, I’m ready to use them. They would be more profitable and, above all, easier to manage, » he says.

A few steps away from Andre Nikiema’s field, Bernadette Tonde, a mother of three and a cowpea farmer for the past five years, is in the middle of a hard day’s work, her face sweating. « Every year I lose a large part of my crop to pests. I can lose up to 60 kg of cowpeas, » she says. For her, the arrival of a resistant variety is a huge relief. « If Bt cowpea can help me save my crop, I won’t hesitate for a second, » says Bernadette Tonde.

The same observation was made by Jean Tapsoba, a farmer in the Gounghin district of Koubri. This year, the growth of his seedlings was delayed not only by Maruca vitrata, but also by erratic rainfall. « My seeds took a long time to germinate because of the because of the delayed rains, » he explains, looking worriedly at his cowpea plants, which are already infested with aphids. « You see, if I don’t spray pesticides, the plants won’t grow. That’s my main problem. I’ve already sprayed once, but I have to do it again or the caterpillars will destroy my crop, » he says thoughtfully. Like his neighbours, Jean is in favour of using Bt cowpea: « If it can protect my crops from these pests, I’m willing to try it.

The same can be heard in Mogtedo, a village 5 km from the centre of Koubri. Blaise Zoundi, a retired teacher, faces the same reality. Sitting in front of his garden, he watches over his recently weeded field. Because of the losses caused by the caterpillar, Blaise has planted a small quantity of cowpeas for fear of seeing his crop destroyed. However, he is making up for these losses with the yield from his other crops. « Growing cowpea has become very difficult because of the caterpillar and other insects. It’s also very expensive, » he says. Despite suffering the ravages of the pod borer, Blaise remains reluctant to use pesticides, which he believes are often harmful to health. « If improved seeds could be made available at a lower cost, I wouldn’t be against it. It’s true that there are prejudices against it, but you have to try it to make up your mind, » he admits, referring to the possibility of growing genetically modified cowpeas.

These testimonies from Burkinabe farmers underscore the urgent need for a lasting solution to these massive agricultural losses, and Bt cowpea appears to be the long-awaited answer.

A promising biotechnological breakthrough

Bt cowpea was developed using a genetic modification technique called transgenesis, which involves introducing genes into the plant that can produce natural insecticidal proteins, in this case Cry1Ab and Cry2Ab. These proteins enable the plant itself to produce an insecticide against Maruca vitrata, while remaining harmless to other insects, animals and humans. This innovation effectively protects the crop while reducing the use of pesticides, which are often toxic to health and the environment.

Hamadou Zongo, head of the scientific and technical department at the Centre for Agricultural and Environmental Research and Training in Kamboinsin (CREAF/KBSE), is part of the team leading the introduction of Bt cowpea in Burkina Faso. According to him, two Bt cowpea varieties are currently being evaluated: IT98KT and IT99KT, with yields between 1.5 and 2 tonnes per hectare, much higher than those of traditional varieties.

Mr Zongo explains that Bt cowpeas have the same agronomic characteristics as conventional cowpeas, but with the added benefit of greater resistance to pests. According to Mr Zongo, this variety could increase yields by more than 20%, reducing losses and increasing the income of Burkinabe producers.

A solution to Burkina Faso’s food security challenge

As well as bringing relief to cowpea farmers, the spread of Maruca-resistant cowpea could play a key role in improving food security in Burkina Faso. Like many countries in West Africa, Burkina Faso is facing increasing challenges to agricultural production from climatic hazards, pests and unsustainable farming practices. In this context, the introduction of a more resilient and productive crop is seen as an important step towards achieving food security goals.

According to the project leaders, if Bt cowpea is widely adopted, it could help stabilise farmers’ incomes while meeting growing food demand. The potential impact of this innovation goes beyond economic benefits, as it also reduces the health risks associated with intensive pesticide use for both farmers and consumers.

Regulatory process and outlook

The process of introducing pod borer resistant cowpea follows a strict regulatory framework. A public consultation, organised by the National Biosafety Agency (ANB), is currently underway to assess civil society feedback on this new technology. This consultation is a key step before Bt cowpea varieties are registered in the national seed catalogue, the last formality before they can be distributed to farmers.

During the thirteen years of trials, several studies were conducted to assess the impact of Bt cowpea on human and animal health and the environment. The results of these studies were considered reassuring by the researchers. Apart from Maruca vitrata, no other insects were affected by the Bt protein and no adverse effects on human or animal health were observed.

Hamadou Zongo remains optimistic about the future of this agricultural innovation. « We are very advanced. After the public consultation, all that remains is to register the varieties in the national catalogue. We hope to have everything ready for distribution to farmers by 2025, » he says.

A turning point for agriculture in Burkina Faso

After more than a decade of research, experimentation and development, the Bt cowpea project is set to transform Burkina Faso’s agricultural landscape. By providing an effective and sustainable solution to Maruca vitrata, this innovation offers the prospect of a better future for Burkina Faso’s farmers. In addition, this transgenic variety could strengthen the resilience of national food systems and help reduce dependence on food imports.

If the pod borer-resistant cowpea receives final approval from the relevant authorities, it will be a real growth lever for the country’s agriculture, helping to improve the livelihoods of thousands of producers while meeting the challenges of sustainability and food security. As Blaise Zoundi, an initially sceptical but now convinced farmer, put it: « If these seeds can really protect our crops and reduce our costs, I’m ready to try them ».

The project is coordinated by Dr Benoît Joseph Batieno and his research team, which includes several biotechnology experts. Their work is a model of collaboration between scientific research, technological innovation and agricultural development, with the ultimate aim of making this cowpea variety accessible and beneficial to all Burkinabe producers.