What are Nandolo pigeon peas?

Pigeon peas, known locally in Malawi as Nandolo is a legume that is grown and exported accross the world, mainly to India and used in recipes to make Dhal.

The benefits of farming pigeon peas are vast from both the growing to the processing and production. 

The pigeon pea plant is a plant that grows in tropical and subtropical countries. It is drought resistant and easy to grow, not requiring the use of fertilizer and will grow well in poor soil. It also benefits the soil by producing nitrogen.

The end result of the crop is a pea legume that is high in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals, an all round nutritious food.

Malawi is one of the biggest growers and exporters of pigeon peas with approximately 90% on the export market, mostly going to India and only about 10% of the legumes being used domestically.

By raising awareness and educating our farmers they are learning about the benefits of consuming and selling pigeon peas locally and how it can benefit the local communities.