Cover Crops for Africa: Species, Evidence and How to Order

This page covers legume cover crops and the SoilBoost EA soil conditioner for plantations and smallholder programmes in Africa: oil palm, cocoa and rubber in West and Central Africa, and sloping coffee and tea land in East Africa. Cover crops hold soil on slopes and between young trees, add nitrogen through fixation, suppress weeds and build organic matter. Chemiseed Sdn. Bhd. supplies buyers worldwide on request, from Malaysia.

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Quotation by country: Nigeria | Ghana | Côte d'Ivoire | Cameroon | Kenya

Regional guides

At a glance: Africa context

  • West and Central Africa, oil palm: Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and the Congo basin grow oil palm on estates and smallholdings.
  • West Africa, cocoa: Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana are the two largest cocoa-producing countries (ICCO). Young and replanted cocoa leaves the ground open for years.
  • East Africa, coffee and tea: grown on sloping highland ground, where bare soil erodes in heavy rain.
  • Smallholder rotations: smallholder Mucuna rotations in Africa often use other Mucuna species, such as the velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens); Mucuna bracteata is a plantation cover.
  • Common challenges: sloping terrain, leaching under heavy rainfall, acidic and weathered tropical soils, and the need for fast early cover at new planting or replanting.

West Africa: new planting and replanting

In August 2026 the chief executive of Ghana's Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) said the government aims for self-sufficiency in palm oil by 2032, and the government is targeting 100,000 new hectares of oil palm in 2026 (MyJoyOnline, 14 August 2026). New plantings need ground cover through the immature years.

At two replanting sites in Côte d'Ivoire with contrasting soils (an Arenosol and a Ferralsol), keeping logging residues and sowing a legume in the inter-row sped up the recovery of soil functions after clear-cutting of rubber; the legume cover mainly improved the recovery of carbon transformation (Perron et al. 2022).

In West African replants, researchers from Presco, Ghana Oil Palm Development Company, SIAT Nigeria and Cirad suggest that a well-established legume cover, which hides decaying palm trunks, is worth testing against Oryctes monoceros breeding, as a less disruptive option than chemical control (Riley et al. 2026). It is a field question to test on your own blocks, not a claim that cover crops reduce beetle numbers. Our rhinoceros beetle page covers pheromone trapping of this beetle.

Farmland and acacia trees in Kenya's Great Rift Valley
Farming systems across Africa differ widely; the sections below take each crop in turn.

Cocoa

In young cocoa a legume cover protects the open ground between trees, but climbing legumes compete with the young trees: in a field trial on young cocoa in Indonesia, Calopogonium caeruleum tended to restrict cocoa growth compared with the low-growing Arachis pintoi (Baon and Pudjiono 2006). Species choice and management for cocoa are set out in cover crops and soil health for cocoa in West Africa.

Cover crop species relevant to Africa

Mucuna bracteata (MB): long-lived cover

Recommended seeding rate: 1 kg/ha sown alone, drilled or planted in holes; MB is not broadcast. MB can also be raised in a nursery and transplanted; in MPOB's trial on deep peat, 320 seedlings/ha, two per palm point, were raised from about 500 seeds (75 g) (MPOB TT No. 501), and Samedani et al. (2015) planted 680 seedlings/ha at 1.5 m spacing on mineral soil. In a 15N isotope study of 30-month-old MB under three-year-old oil palm in Malaysia, MB took 67 to 84% of its nitrogen from the air (Cheah, Zaharah and Aminuddin 2010). We do not publish an absolute kg N/ha figure for MB, because no traceable field measurement supports one.

Pueraria javanica (PJ): core legume for new and immature plantings

Legume covers fix nitrogen from the air through their root nodules. The best-documented field figure for a Pueraria cover comes from a four-year trial under young rubber in northeast Thailand: the cover accumulated about 250 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year in its above-ground biomass, with 85 to 93% of that nitrogen from fixation depending on the year (Clermont-Dauphin et al. 2016). It is one trial on one site, not a design value for your plantation. The same trial found that, at the top of the slope, the cover reduced the young trees' ability to survive intense drought. Legume cover contributes nitrogen; adjust your fertiliser programme only after soil and leaf analysis shows what the cover supplies on your block.

Calopogonium mucunoides (CM): fast pioneer

CM covers the soil 3 to 6 months after sowing, sooner on newly cleared fertile land, with a dense sward at 4 to 5 months, and is usually the first species to be shaded out in a mixture (PROSEA 11). Recommended seeding rate (sown alone): 10 kg/ha; for a mixture, the quantity of each species is set on the quotation for your site.

Centrosema pubescens (CP) and Calopogonium caeruleum (CC): for canopy closure

As the canopy closes and light at ground level drops, CP and CC carry the cover forward. A pure CP sward gives dense cover in 4 to 8 months (PROSEA 11). CC produces 3 to 7 t dry matter per hectare per year in the open and 1 to 1.5 t under mature oil palm at about 10% light (Tropical Forages). Recommended seeding rates (sown alone): CP 10 kg/ha and CC 5 kg/ha. These rates are for one species sown alone. For a mixture, the quantity of each species is set on the quotation for your site. In MPOB's trial on deep peat (MPOB TT No. 501), the mixture used was PJ 4 + CP 3 + CC 1, a total of 8 kg/ha, with 5 g of Rhizobium inoculant per kg of seed.

Recommended seeding rates

Species Use and establishment Recommended seeding rate
Pueraria javanica (PJ), also listed as Pueraria phaseoloides or Neustanthus phaseoloides Inter-rows of replants and young palms. In pure stands, about 60 to 70% ground cover at around 4 months and 90 to 100% at 8 months (PROSEA 11). 10 kg/ha sown alone; Chemiseed recommendation (2026 catalogue)
Calopogonium mucunoides (CM) Early cover in mixtures. Covers the soil 3 to 6 months after sowing, sooner on newly cleared fertile land, with a dense sward at 4 to 5 months; usually the first species to be shaded out (PROSEA 11). 10 kg/ha sown alone; Chemiseed recommendation (2026 catalogue)
Centrosema pubescens (CP) Mixtures. A pure sward gives dense cover in 4 to 8 months (PROSEA 11). 10 kg/ha sown alone; Chemiseed recommendation (2026 catalogue)
Calopogonium caeruleum (CC) Persists under shade: 3 to 7 t dry matter/ha/yr in the open and 1 to 1.5 t under mature oil palm at about 10% light (Tropical Forages). 5 kg/ha sown alone; Chemiseed recommendation (2026 catalogue)
Mucuna bracteata (MB) Drilled or planted in holes, or raised in a nursery and transplanted; not broadcast. About 100% ground cover at 6 months on mineral soil (Samedani et al. 2015); on deep peat, 31% at 6 months, 58% at 12, 75% at 18 and 78% at 24 (MPOB TT No. 501). Keep it off young palms. 1 kg/ha sown alone, drilled or planted in holes; Chemiseed recommendation (2026 catalogue). Nursery-raised seedlings in two field trials: 680 seedlings/ha at 1.5 m spacing on mineral soil (Samedani et al. 2015); 320 seedlings/ha, two per palm point, from about 500 seeds (75 g) in MPOB's trial on deep peat (MPOB TT No. 501)
Mixture The rates above are for one species sown alone. For a mixture, the quantity of each species is set on the quotation for your site.

SoilBoost EA soil conditioner

SoilBoost EA is a leonardite-derived humic acid soil conditioner manufactured exclusively for Chemiseed Sdn. Bhd. and Kudzu Seeds Trading. It may support soil structure and root-zone conditions alongside a legume cover and a normal fertiliser programme. It is a soil conditioner, not a fertiliser, and the application rate for your crop and soil is set on the quotation. Product page: SoilBoost EA 25 kg.

How to order from Africa

Chemiseed Sdn. Bhd. is a Malaysian supplier of legume cover crop seed and soil conditioners to plantations since 2003. We supply buyers worldwide on request, from Malaysia.

  1. Quotation. Tell us your crop, planted area, products and port of destination. We reply with a written quotation from Malaysia that confirms the minimum order, lead time and shipping terms.
  2. Terms. Payment in full before dispatch. Ex Works (EXW) Selangor, Malaysia, unless the quotation names FOB or CIF.
  3. Documents. Seed lots are germination- and purity-tested to ISTA and AOSA methods. A Certificate of Analysis (COA) and a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Department of Agriculture Malaysia (DOA) for export are available on request.
  4. Import rules. The importer is responsible for the import permit and for any seed or product registration in the destination country. Import rules change and can differ by species and by country of origin, so confirm them before you confirm the order.

Import authorities we have checked

  • Nigeria: the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) issues import permits for plant products (NAQS); for legume seed for sowing, an import permit and a phytosanitary certificate are listed as required (MICOR, Nigeria).
  • Ghana: the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture; for legume seed for sowing, an import permit and a phytosanitary certificate are listed as required (MICOR, Ghana).
  • Other African countries: confirm the import requirements, and any registration of seed or soil conditioners, with the national authorities before ordering.
Request a quotationWhatsApp +60 17-237 4058

Frequently asked questions

Which cover crops are used in African oil palm and cocoa?

Most programmes use a mixture: CM for early cover, PJ in the inter-rows, CP and CC as shade increases, and MB in oil palm where palm circles can be kept clear. In young cocoa, keep climbing legumes off the trees. The recommended rates above are for one species sown alone; for a mixture, the quantity of each species is set on the quotation for your site.

Can Chemiseed quote for cooperatives, NGOs and development programmes?

Yes, on request. We quote from Malaysia and can provide a Certificate of Analysis (COA), seed test results to ISTA and AOSA methods and a phytosanitary certificate issued by the Department of Agriculture Malaysia (DOA) for export.

What does SoilBoost EA do?

SoilBoost EA is a leonardite-derived humic acid soil conditioner. It may support soil structure and root-zone conditions alongside a legume cover and a normal fertiliser programme. It is not a fertiliser, and the rate is set on the quotation.

How do I get a price for Africa?

Chemiseed works on a quotation basis. Request a quotation through the form or WhatsApp; the quotation confirms the minimum order, lead time, shipping terms and price. Payment is in full before dispatch, Ex Works (EXW) Selangor unless the quotation names FOB or CIF.

References

  1. International Cocoa Organization (ICCO). Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. LI, No. 1: production of cocoa beans. icco.org
  2. MyJoyOnline (14 August 2026). TCDA targets 100,000 new hectares to boost Ghana's palm oil self-sufficiency. myjoyonline.com
  3. Perron, T., Kouakou, A., Simon, C., Mareschal, L., Frédéric, G., Soumahoro, M., Kouassi, D., Rakotondrazafy, N., Rapidel, B., Laclau, J.-P. and Brauman, A. (2022). Logging residues promote rapid restoration of soil health after clear-cutting of rubber plantations at two sites with contrasting soils in Africa. Science of the Total Environment 816: 151526. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151526
  4. Riley, S.O., Wiafe, E.K., Impens, R., Beaudoin-Ollivier, L., Samuel, D.O., Okoye, G. and Sule, B.A. (2026). Temporal patterns of Oryctes monoceros (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) in oil palm replanting: a study across three cycles. OCL 33: 8. doi:10.1051/ocl/2025042
  5. Baon, J.B. and Pudjiono, J. (2006). Intensity of ground cover crop Arachis pintoi, Rhizobium inoculation and phosphorus application and their effects on field growth and nutrient status of cocoa plants. Pelita Perkebunan 22(2). doi:10.22302/iccri.jur.pelitaperkebunan.v22i2.33
  6. Hasnol Othman, Farawahida Mohamad Darus and Zulkifli Hashim (2012). Best management practices for oil palm cultivation on peat: Mucuna bracteata as ground cover crop. MPOB TT No. 501 (MPOB Information Series 588). Malaysian Palm Oil Board.
  7. Samedani, B., Juraimi, A.S., Rafii, M.Y., Sheikh Awadz, S., Anwar, M. and Anuar, A.R. (2015). Effect of cover crops on weed suppression in oil palm plantation. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 17(2): 251-260.
  8. Cheah, S.S., Zaharah, A.R. and Aminuddin, H. (2010). Biological nitrogen fixation by Mucuna bracteata under oil palm field environments. Oil Palm Bulletin 60: 22-27.
  9. Clermont-Dauphin, C., Suvannang, N., Pongwichian, P., Cheylan, V., Hammecker, C. and Harmand, J.-M. (2016). Dinitrogen fixation by the legume cover crop Pueraria phaseoloides and transfer of fixed N to Hevea brasiliensis: impact on tree growth and vulnerability to drought. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 217: 79-88. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2015.11.002
  10. PROSEA (1997). Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 11: Auxiliary plants. Species entries for Calopogonium mucunoides (Chen Chin Peng and Aminah), Centrosema pubescens and Pueraria phaseoloides.
  11. Tropical Forages: an interactive selection tool, 2020 edition (CIAT and ILRI), species fact sheets. www.tropicalforages.info
  12. Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS). Plant quarantine. naqs.gov.ng/plant_quarantine
  13. Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICOR), plant export entries for Nigeria (Desmodium intortum seed) and Ghana (Clitoria ternatea seed) (reviewed July 2026). micor.agriculture.gov.au

Related pages

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