Pigeon pea can also become a ratoon crop, meaning a new crop grows from the stubble of the last harvest. The pigeon pea can grow in its own field, or be planted in alternating rows with maize or other crops. Maize, while a good food crop, is less drought tolerant and depletes soil nutrients faster. In technical terms, it helps create sustainable agricultural production. The edible pigeon pea can be sold as a cash crop, but as a legume it has the bonus of adding nitrogen to the soil-improving the soil’s fertility for future planting seasons. In this part of Zambia, stunting, which is caused by malnutrition, was an alarming 43 percent in 2013. They can use the income realized from sale of pigeon pea to purchase food,” says Douglas Mwasi, CRS agricultural livelihoods program manager. “The goal of the project is to increase the incomes of the farmers so that they are not going to have a food shortage. In partnership with Caritas Chipata, Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture and the World Food Program, more than 2,000 smallholder farmers are planting the drought-tolerant pigeon pea. This is exactly why pigeon pea was chosen to be the focus of a Catholic Relief Services’ climate- smart agriculture program in eastern Zambia. The pigeon pea survived the drought well, but the maize planted in Medrick’s region suffered.
![pigeon peas pigeon peas](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0846/4264/products/IMG_3223_1_2000x.jpg)
This year drought struck again in January during the normal rainy season when freshly planted crops desperately need water. “The dry spells have become longer and unpredictable.” “I’ve been farming for 15 years,” he says.
![pigeon peas pigeon peas](https://www.firstworldimports.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Caribbean-Sunshine-Green-Pigeon-Peas_500.png)
When asked about drought, he reflects that it has become more common. But it was drought that convinced Medrick and many of his neighbors to try pigeon pea instead. Maize is still the staple crop throughout Africa. Until 2 years ago, maize was growing here. “This year I planted, and I expect a bigger harvest.” “I planted of pigeon pea last year and had a nice harvest,” he says.
![pigeon peas pigeon peas](https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/be1bba74-e0f1-4fba-b1ae-ce0fec622da0.1ac5ddfeb098c2adaa6ad9b197597caa.jpeg)
And it improves the soil.” Photo by Tom Price/CRS Mattias Phiri shows off his pigeon peas: “This crop is good because it can survive the droughts, which come more frequent and last longer than before.