In the Caribbean and Fast Africa, pigeonpeas are eaten green as a vegetable and are commercial grown and canned in the West Indies. When grown as a perennial, pods may be picked ripe or green for a long time. Pigeonpea is an excellent fodder species. Its exceptional nutritional value and high productivity can give good liveweight gains. In Hawaii, Henke et al.
Foliage is retained well into dry seasons.
Poor early growth makes it unable to compete well in mixtures with grasses. Pigeonpea sticks are an important household fuel in many areas. Sticks also produce thatch and basket materials. Pigeonpea is modulated with Rhizobium of the cowpea type and is an effective green manure crop. Pigeonpea is used in a great variety of cropping systems throughout the tropics.