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Project information
»The problem
The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plays a critical
role in the human nutrition of millions of people in southern
Africa. While maize as a staple food provides most of the
energy requirement, beans containing 22% protein complement
maize and other starchy staples to form the basic diet in
the SADC region. The common bean is also an important source
of carbohydrate and, as such, the bean is the second most
important food crop over much of the area. In the widespread
maize-based systems of mid-altitude areas of southern Africa,
beans contribute up to 30% of dietary energy. Dry beans are
particularly rich sources of iron and zinc, and provide vitamins
when consumed in such forms as leaves (fresh or preserved)
as a side dish or fresh green pods. Thus, beans are an important
source of food at the household level for groups vulnerable
to malnutrition, including children, pregnant mothers and
the poor. Malawi, South Africa and Zambia are net importers
of bean from other SADC countries. However, increasing bean
productivity can only be realistic when the farming systems
include use of improved bean varieties, recommended pest and
disease management practices as well as good soil-fertility
management practices.
Crop production in southern Africa is constrained by numerous
factors, including low soil fertility, restricted access to
fertilizers, limited use of high yielding varieties, losses
due to field and storage pests, undeveloped markets for agricultural
produce and weak extension services. As a result, many rural
households in the region are food insecure and suffer from
nutritional deficiencies. This situation is very prevalent
in Malawi and Mozambique, despite the great potential that
both countries have for high agricultural productivity. In
order to contribute towards alleviating the problem of low
productivity and poor nutrition, this project proposes to
diversify agricultural production by introducing and testing
new varieties of high yielding low-altitude climbing beans
together with proven agroforestry technologies that improve
soil fertility.
Maximizing climbing bean yield potential requires climbing
beans to be supported by stakes or grown in association with
other crops on which they climb. The scarcity of suitable
materials for staking is a major impediment to adoption of
climbing beans. Agroforestry species such as Calliandra,
Gliricidia, Leucaena, Tephrosia and Sesbania
can improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, while
at the same time providing staking material for climbing bean
production. This project will leverage the short-term impacts
of climbing beans as an incentive for farmers to pursue the
longer-term benefits derived from planting multi-purpose trees
on soil fertility and improved natural resource management.
(Source: project proposal)
»The approach
 Project
workplan
Both aggressive and non-aggressive climbing bean varieties
will be grown using different tree species as staking material
by farming communities in the target area.
»The goals
1. To increase the efficiency of climbing bean production
through cultivation of high yielding varieties linked to agroforestry
technologies for soil improvement and provision of staking
materials.
2. To link farmers to markets, increasing income through bean
marketing.
3. To improve nutrition through increased consumption of beans.
4. To build the capacity of farmers, national agricultural
research systems, and other partners by working with farmers
groups using participatory approaches, and enhancing their
knowledge of climbing beans and agroforestry tree management.
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Investigators
Principal Investigator
Dr. Wilkson Makumba, Department
of Agricultural Research and Technical Services (DARTS),
Malawi
Collaborators
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Annual progress reports
None listed as of
.
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Related Links
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