Four Seasons of Learning and Engaging Smallholder Farmers - icrisat

Important variety traits to users
The research carried out in phase 1 also revealed that genetic improvement to address production
constraints mentioned above will have to take place while meeting numerous users’ preferred traits
to facilitate significant adoption of varieties. Users (i.e. farmers, traders and consumers) along the
value chains in both countries demand a diversity of variety traits. In Kenya, the top five demanded
common bean traits by farmers across the regions are: better taste, early maturing, drought tolerance,
high keeping quality and less cooking time. Some gender disparities were observed in ratings of
variety attribute preferences in Kenya. Majority of women rated preference for drought tolerance, early
maturing, tolerance to poor soils, better taste, and less cooking time higher than men. On the other
hand, majority of men rated preference for grain color higher than women. Men and women rating
of their preferences coincided for six traits: pest and disease resistance, high keeping quality, low
flatulence and grain size. In Ethiopia, market traits (i.e. seed color, seed size and seed shape) stand
out among the top five demanded traits. Seed color and shape are currently the key attributes used to
grade bean grain for export by the export promotion council. Because of this new development, these
two variety characteristics are expected to be even more influential in variety choice in the near future
and could change the current adoption patterns. Other traits rated among the top five were high yield
and better taste. It is surprising that even in areas dominated by the export canning type; better taste is
a desired trait.
Supply of important traits by the improved varieties
Preferences analysis in phase 1 showed that improved varieties demonstrate a high potential of being
adopted if seed is made available. They are rated superior to local ones in most of the top demanded
traits by users. For example, three improved varieties (i.e. KATB1, KATB9, and KATX56) in Kenya are
rated superior to the local popular variety in the top demanded consumption traits (taste, less cooking
time and high keeping quality). The varieties also have an advantage over local ones in addressing
terminal drought because they are early maturing. In Kenya, the very short cycle (and other qualities)
of the Katumani bean varieties, has motivated farmers to plant three times in a single season, versus
the normal one (for instance, in March, April and May) 1 . However, in terms of tolerance to intermittent
drought, farmers do not perceive the three improved varieties to be different from the local variety,
which could imply that they are equally vulnerable to this type of drought. Similarly, the majority of
farmers in Ethiopia who have tried the improved varieties, released in 1990s and 2000s, on their farms
expressed preference of these varieties over local ones (Mexican 142 or Chore ). Among the farmers
who planted the varieties in East Shewa and West Arsi, over 80% would choose Awash 1 over local
ones while 60% would chose Awash-Melka over local varieties. This demonstrates overall superiority
of improved varieties over local ones within the current production environment. These preferences are
subject to change with changes in the production and market environment and should be constantly
monitored to inform future crop improvement strategies.
Baseline status of adoption of improved varieties - 2008
Baseline survey data showed that a diversity of varieties exist at the community level in both Eastern
Kenya and Ethiopia. About 15 varieties were identified in the sampled villages of each region, with
the average number of varieties simultaneously grown per farm ranging from two in Eastern Kenya to
1.47 in the Central Rift Valley in Ethiopia and one in the SNNPR, which is consistent with the available
information that common bean diversity is comparatively low in Ethiopia than in Eastern Kenya. Varieties
most frequently grown by farmers (percentage of households) were the same as the most widely planted
(percentage of total seed sown per season). In Eastern Kenya, about 74% of the common bean area in
the main cropping season was found to be occupied by large red mottled varieties (GLPx92 and GLP2)
released way back in early 1980s and/or landraces (Annex 6-1). In the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia,
1 This strategy has resulted in three different harvests (via staggered planting), increased food availability and the spreading of risks in
these unstable environments.
Progress of Phase 1
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