Four Seasons of Learning and Engaging Smallholder Farmers - icrisat

Enhancing Common Bean Productivity
and Production in Sub-Saharan Africa
Stephen Beebe, Idupulapati Rao, Jose Polonia, Jaumer Ricaurte, Miguel Angel Grajales, Cesar Cajiao
(CIAT-Colombia); Rowland Chirwa, Jean Claude Rubyogo (CIAT-Malawi); Paul Kimani (CIAT-Kenya);
Enid Katungi), David Wozemba (CIAT-Uganda); Louise Sperling (CIAT-Tanzania); Setegn Gebeyehu,
Teshale Assefa (EIAR-Melkassa, Ethiopia); David Karanja, David Macharia (KARI-Machakos, Kenya);
Sosthenes Kweka, John Msaky, Elisa Mazuma (SARI-Tanzania); Godwill Makunde, Kennedy Simango
(Zimbabwe)
Summary
The common bean component of the Tropical Legumes II Project was carried out with the participation
of five countries in eastern and southern Africa (the same five countries of Tropical Legumes-I): Ethiopia,
Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. The baseline and seed system components under Objectives
1 and 8 respectively, were centered on Ethiopia and Kenya. The baseline study confirmed many of
the previous results of surveys with farmers regarding preferred traits (e.g., earliness, fast cooking,
marketability) and low adoption status of improved varieties released 1990-2000s. It was nonetheless
surprising that even in the most affected drought prone regions of Kenya, farmers continued to value the
potential for market types (growing the commercial GLP 2), although they also cultivated the drought
tolerant variety GLPx92 which has low market value. KAT B1 is another option for drought areas, given
its extreme earliness. Superior lines were selected from a fast track nursery, initially composed of more
than 1700 entries. The program in Kenya was especially successful, identifying lines with more than
50% yield advantage over elite checks and good farmer acceptability in on farm trials. Navy bean lines
were selected in Ethiopia with 50% yield advantage over the elite check in managed drought stress
trials, and with 12% advantage on farm in 2010 when rain was plentiful. Lines in Malawi advanced
from a previous drought project express up to 50% advantage on farm and on station, and are near
release. Selected lines in Tanzania and Zimbabwe are in the pipeline for release. Knowledge of bean
seed systems advanced significantly in phase 1. Success was registered in both Kenya and Ethiopia
with the small pack strategy, developed in partnership with the private sector. Marketing seed in small
quantities that are within reach of smallholder farmers was found to be both profitable to a private
company and attractive to farmers. Seed loans were practiced in Kenya with substantial success. It is
estimated that well over a million farmers were reached with new varieties. This has resulted in onfarm
increases in area share of 20-40% occupied by improved varieties in Ethiopia that were released
in 1990s but remained on the shelf due to constraints to seed production and distribution at the time.
Introduction
From the outset of the TL II project, activities were closely coordinated with the network of the Pan-
Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), which coordinates bean research and development activities
across 28 countries in eastern, southern, central and West Africa. PABRA is sub-divided into three
regional networks: the Eastern and Central Africa Bean Research Network (ECABREN); the Southern
Africa Bean Research Network (SABRN); and the West and Central Africa Bean Research Network
(WECABREN). Five countries of the PABRA network were included as participants in the project (the
same 5 countries that participate in the TL I project). These were: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania
and Zimbabwe. One additional national program, Rwanda, participated in one training workshop with
funds from another project. Results were presented in PABRA coordination meetings, such that partners
throughout the region were made aware of the project and its results. Integration of TL II into the PABRA
framework and regional networks will facilitate dissemination of results, and the incorporation of other
partners into a Phase 2.
Progress of Phase 1
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