News Release

September 22, 2014—The story of cowpea (black-eyed peas) is a fascinating example of how science can solve the world's biggest problems—even more fascinating is the story of the scientist behind the research.

Bush-type vegetable cowpea is an important high-protein legume crop.

B.B. Singh wrote Cowpea: The Food Legume of the 21st Century to serve as an accessible summary of cowpea breeding, management, and use. The book was recently published by the Crop Science Society of America, and co-sponsored by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

Singh has devoted his life's work to solving the "protein gap" of the Green Revolution in which the emphasis on corn and wheat neglected the protein-rich legumes vital to plant-based nutrition. Today, under his careful tending, cowpea truly has become the food legume of the century. From genetics to recipes, he gives a full account of how cowpea belongs in our global agriculture and in every diet. Along the way, he shares his inspiring story.

“It is my earnest hope that this book will be useful to everyone involved in food legumes teaching, research, and development,” says Singh. “I also hope it attracts and stimulates younger scientists to work on cowpea to help alleviate the problem of increasing protein malnutrition in the weaker sectors of society.”

The audience for Cowpea includes plant breeders, agronomists, producers and farmers, global nutrition advocates, food scientists, policy makers, rural economists, scientists, educators, and students.

To view the book, visit https://www.dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/books/tocs/acsesspublicati/cowpeathefoodle. To order the book, visit www.societystore.org, call 608-268-4960, or fax 608-273-2021.