Effectiveness of Communication Channels on Level of Awareness and Determinants of Adoption of Improved Common Bean Technologies Among Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania

Author(s):  
Charles B. Lugamara ◽  
Justin K. Urassa ◽  
Paul M. Dontsop Nguezet ◽  
Cargele Masso
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Besufekad Belayneh ◽  
Tewodros Tefera ◽  
Thomas Lemma

This research was aimed to study the common bean (Phaseolus vulagris L.) marketed surplus among smallholder farmers in the Humbo and Damot Gale Woredas. A multi-stage sampling technique was used in order to determine the sample respondents. By using simple random sampling technique four sample Kebeles were selected. Cross sectional data were collected from 182 farm households who produced common bean in 2016 production season. Primary data were collected from sample households using structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and econometric model were employed to analyze the data. To identify determinants of marketed surplus of common bean, Ordinary Least Square (OLS) model was employed. The study suggest interventions such as intensification strategies which increase yields through proper management and use of inputs, rural infrastructure improvement increases the likelihood of market orientation and marketed surplus of common bean.


2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-47
Author(s):  
Hannington O. Ochieng ◽  
John O. Ojiem ◽  
Simon M. Kamwana ◽  
Joyce C. Mutai ◽  
James W. Nyongesa

AbstractCommon bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is perhaps the most important grain legume in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) smallholder systems for food security and household income. Although a wide choice of varieties is available, smallholder farmers in western Kenya realize yields that are low and variable since they operate in risky production environments. Significant seasonal variations exist in rainfall and severity of pests and diseases. This situation is worsened by the low and declining soil fertility, coupled with low capacity of farmers to purchase production inputs such as fertilizers, fungicides and insecticides, and land scarcity. The objective of this study was to investigate whether growing multiple-bean varieties instead of a single variety can enable farmers enhance yield stability over seasons and ensure food security. Five common bean varieties were evaluated in multiple farms for 11 seasons at Kapkerer in Nandi County, western Kenya. Data were collected on grain yield, days to 50% flowering and major diseases. In addition, daily rainfall was recorded throughout the growing seasons. The five varieties were combined in all possible ways to create 31 single- and multiple-bean production strategies. The strategies were evaluated for grain yield performance and yield stability over seasons to determine the risk of not attaining a particular yield target. Results indicated that cropping multiple-bean varieties can be an effective way for reducing production risks in heterogeneous smallholder systems. Yield stability can be greatly enhanced across diverse environments, leading to improved food security, especially for the resource-poor smallholder farmers operating in risk-prone environments. Although the results show that some of the single-bean variety strategies were high yielding, their yield stability was generally lower than those of multiple strategies. Resource-poor risk averse farmers can greatly increase the probability of exceeding their yield targets by cropping multiple-bean varieties with relatively low yields but high grain yield stability. Trading-off high grain yield for yield stability might be an important strategy for minimizing bean production risks.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246281
Author(s):  
Ivan P. Novotny ◽  
Pablo Tittonell ◽  
Mariela H. Fuentes-Ponce ◽  
Santiago López-Ridaura ◽  
Walter A. H. Rossing

Around 30% of global food is produced by smallholder farmers, yet they constitute the most food-insecure group. In Mexico, food self-sufficiency is declining. Rural policies in the country have stimulated the production of cash crops to the detriment of the traditional intercropping system, the milpa. Such a decline may have negative consequences for the food security of subsistence farmers. This study aimed to assess changes in nutritional self-sufficiency over the last 30 years and the role of milpa systems in food security for two communities in the highlands of Oaxaca, Mexico. The study used satellite images, censuses, and field data to estimate food production. Three cropping systems, monoculture of maize, monoculture of common bean, and the milpa were compared in terms of nutrients and vitamins produced. Furthermore, a household typology was developed for each community to contrast nutritional self-sufficiency levels between the different household types. Results showed that the milpa produced more volume of food per area compared to the other systems. The milpa also produced all the nutrients and vitamins (except for B12) required to feed at least 2 persons ha-1. Monocultures of maize lacked vitamins A, B9, B12, and C, and the common bean lacked vitamins A, B12, and C. While farmers recognized the importance of the milpa, they preferred monocultures due to the reduced labor demands of this system. Households that obtained most of their income from off-farm activities had the lowest nutritional self-sufficiency. Enhancing nutritional self-sufficiency through crop diversification has the potential to not only improve the nutrition of subsistence farmers, but also to enhance ecosystem service provision, promote biodiversity conservation and restoration, and improve resilience to climate change.


Author(s):  
Rosemary Akhungu Emongor ◽  
Roselyne Juma Uside

Common Bean is an important pulse crop in Kenya. The yields of common beans in Kenya have been low and declining. The decline in Common Bean yields has been due to biotic and abiotic stresses. Research was carried out to determine factors that influenced the adoption of Integrated Pests and Disease Management technologies in Bungoma and Machakos counties, Kenya. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to randomly sample 502 smallholder farmers in Bungoma and Machakos counties. Primary data were collected from sampled farmers by carrying out face to face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Logistic regression using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 20 Software. Descriptive statistics results showed that farmers in the two study sites used both modern and indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) to control pests and diseases on their bean crops and produce. The Logistic regression results showed that five factors significantly influenced the choice of IPM technologies by farmers. These were: region, level of education of the household head, access to extension services, household food security status and availability of markets for beans.  Access to extension and region were highly significant at 1% significance level. To achieve high yields the factor that significantly increased adoption of IPM in bean production such as access to extension should be enhanced.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice M. Mweetwa ◽  
Gwen Chilombo ◽  
Brian M. Gondwe

Common bean is an important source of protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals for both human beings and livestock. In Zambia, common bean is produced mostly by smallholder farmers whose current yields fall far short of the potential 2 t/ha due to various challenges. Among the biophysical constraints, poor soil fertility and acidity pose the greatest challenges. This study investigated the individual and dual inoculation of Rhizobia and Trichoderma to common bean in a phosphorus deficient, acid soil. Soil in which the common bean was grown was characterized for selected chemical properties before planting and at harvest using standard laboratory procedures. Soils were amended with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer at the rates of 100 kg N and 80 kg P2O5 per ha; 1 g/kg of seed of Trichoderma harzianum; 100 g/kg of seed of Rhizobium tropici; or a combination of both at the recommended rates at planting. Nodulation and nodule effectiveness were determined at 51 days after planting. Nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation in the above ground biomass, biomass and grain yields were determined at maturity. To determine differences among soil amendments, data were analysed using Analysis of Variance and Least Significant Difference at 95% confidence limit. Relationships among parameters were determined using correlation analysis. The results showed that amending soils with inorganic N at high rates can depress nodulation even in the presence of high levels of inorganic phosphorus. Inoculating common bean with Rhizobia and Trichoderma either singly or in combination increases nodule number and effectiveness per plant but may not result in higher nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation, or in an increase in subsequent biomass or grain yields. The low phosphorus accumulation in Trichoderma inoculated plants observed in this study needs to be investigated further by studying the extent of colonization and the accompanying changes in root volume.


Plant Disease ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 104 (8) ◽  
pp. 2130-2137
Author(s):  
Pamela Paparu ◽  
Amos Acur ◽  
Fred Kato ◽  
Catherine Acam ◽  
Justine Nakibuule ◽  
...  

Over the last 5 years, Southern blight caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. has superseded root rots caused by pathogens such as Fusarium and Pythium spp. as a major constraint of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production in Uganda. Although S. rolfsii is prevalent in all bean-growing regions of Uganda, there is a lack of information about its diversity and pathogenicity to guide the development of effective management strategies. In total, 348 S. rolfsii isolates were obtained from bean fields in seven agroecological zones of Uganda, with the following objectives: to characterize their morphology, based on mycelial growth rate, mycelium texture, and number of sclerotia; and to determine the pathogenicity of 75 selected isolates on five common bean varieties in artificially inoculated soils in a screenhouse. We found that mycelial growth rate and the number of sclerotia produced on artificial media varied among agroecological zones but not within a zone. The five bean varieties tested were found to be susceptible to S. rolfsii, including varieties MLB49-89A and RWR719 that are resistant to Fusarium and Pythium root rots, respectively. Preemergence damping-off ranged between 0 and 100%, and disease severity index ranged between 4.4 and 100%. The widespread and high levels of S. rolfsii virulence on varieties of common bean indicate that management intervention is urgently required to help reduce losses incurred by Ugandan smallholder farmers. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Beebe

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a staple food of smallholder farmers and poor urban consumers in Latin America and eastern-southern Africa among whom iron deficiency is frequent. Bean was domesticated in Mexico and the southern Andes, creating two distinct gene pools. Evaluation of a core collection of 1,441 entries revealed average concentrations of 55 mg kg−1 iron. A breeding target was set at 44 mg kg−1 iron above the level in a local check variety, while 50% of goal or a 22 mg kg−1 advantage was accepted as “biofortified.” In a bioefficacy trial among college-age women in Rwanda, high iron beans improved iron status and enhanced cognitive ability, brain function, and work efficiency. However, breeding progress has been slow, likely due in part to homeostatic mechanisms whereby organisms moderate iron and zinc uptake. This phenomenon may represent resistance to increasing concentration of these elements. Crosses between gene pools may “jumble” genes for homeostasis and permit high levels. A second breeding strategy is the use of sister species that evolved in iron-poor environments and that could be more receptive to iron uptake. Future breeding may also increase attention on improving bioavailability through mechanisms such as non-or-slow darkening grain or low phytate mutants. Changing dietary patterns in developed countries could increase iron deficiency and create demand for iron biofortified beans.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sate Sahle ◽  
Tamado Tana ◽  
Nigussie Dechassa ◽  
Habtamu Zeleke

Abstract Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important source of food and income. However, its on-farm diversity and conservation by smallholder farmers is not known in the east Hararghe Zone of eastern Ethiopia. Thus, field survey was conducted from November 2018 to February 2019 to assess the on-farm diversity, cropping system and the role of gender in production and management of common bean varieties. Common bean producing districts were selected purposively whereas sub-districts (kebeles) were selected randomly. Three kebeles from each of the two major agro-ecological zones, two key informants and twelve general informants from each kebele were selected to constitute a total of 84 informants. The selection of general informants was stratified based on gender and wealth status. Structured interview guide was used to interview general informants whereas semi-structured interview guide was used to interview key informants. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted in R (version 3.5.2). Seven farmers’ varieties of common bean were identified of and their diversity was higher in tepid, moist mid highlands (M3) whereas cropped area (ha) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in tepid sub-humid highlands (SH3) agro-ecology. Most activities of common bean were undertaken by male adults. Insect pests were the prominent constraints of common bean production. Farmers’ varieties were used as food and feed, and soil fertility management. Therefore, their on-farm and ex situ conservation, maintenance of endangered varieties, and shortage of cropping land due to chat plantation need special concern to promote their cultivation.


Author(s):  
Elvis Tangwa ◽  
Vit Voženílek ◽  
Jan Brus ◽  
Vilem Pechanec

Land expansion to increase agricultural production in East Africa (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) will be limited by climate change. In this study, we predict landscape suitability for chickpea (Cicer arietinum), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), lentil (Lens culinaris), field pea (Pisum sativum) and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) cultivated across diverse agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in East Africa from 1970 to 2070, under the 4.5 emission scenario. Our aim was to understand how suitability shifts among the AEZs might affect the agricultural potential of the selected crops. We use the geolocations of each crop together with response curves from the species distribution software, Maxent to fine-tune the expert based EcoCrop model to the prevailing climatic conditions in the study region. Our optimal precipitation and temperature ranges compared reasonably with the FAO base parameters, deviating by ±200mm and ±5oC, respectively. There is currently a high potential for lentil, pea and common bean in the region. However, under future climates, the suitability of common bean and lentil with a much narrow climate range will shrink considerably while pigeon pea and chickpea will continue to be suitable. Under projected climatic conditions, the agricultural potential of these legumes will be limited by drought or heat stress as landscape suitability will shift optimally toward the cool sub-humid (tcsh), and the cool semi-arid (tcsa) zones. Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will be the most affected and will lose a large share of suitable arable land. Different adaptation measures will be needed to increase the agricultural potential and optimized production in vulnerable AEZs. In general, smallholder farmers will have to substitute lentil and common bean for chickpea and pigeon pea or other suitable substitutes to address food security issues. Notwithstanding the limitations of this study, our results highlight the vulnerability of legumes crops as well as their production zones which could be useful in the formulation of adaptation strategies for the East African region.


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