High iron and zinc beans: Kicking hidden hunger out of Malawi

Two thirds (63%) of Malawian children suffer from anaemia; a condition of low haemoglobin levels in the body, and iron is a key component of haemoglobin [1]. Iron deficiency is estimated to be esponsible for half of all global anaemia cases, and iron-deficiency anaemia is a leading cause of global sickness [2]. Children suffering from iron-deficiency anaemia have poorer cognition, school achievement, and more behavioral issues into middle childhood [3]

Soaking beans for 12 h reduces split percent and cooking time regardless of type of water used for cooking

Beans are one of the most important cheap source of protein in developing countries. However, their utilisation in the diets of many people remains limited due to long cooking time, among others. Therefore, it is imperative to identify ways to enhance utilisation of beans. The aim of the current study was to assess the effects of soaking and cooking in different types of water (tap, borehole, acidulated- 1.0 percent citric acid and soda- 0.2 percent sodium bicarbonate) on cooking time (CT), split percentage (SP) and total soluble solids (TSS) in broth of different va rieties of beans. Results show that soaking significantly reduced CT across eight varieties from an average CT of 109.5–84.6 min in tap water, 109.5–85.2 min in borehole water, 115.9–92.7 min in acidulated water and 82.0–51.2 min in soda water representing 22.7%, 22.1%, 20.0% and 37.6% reduction in CT, respectively. Soaking generally decreased SP and varietal differences were observed suggesting beans are less likely to break when soaking precede cooking. Although cooking in soda water significantly reduced CT, unfortunately, it increased SP. Acidulated water extended CT but reduced SP in almost all varieties. Soaking generally decreased TSS in broth from 7.0 to 6.7% in tap water, 6.1–5.8% in borehole water and 11.3–7.7% in soda water while it increased TSS in acidulated water from 18.2 to 20.6% across all the eight varieties which suggest reduction in leaching out of bean solids into cooking water which is consistent with reduced SP of soaked beans. While use of soda water reduced cooking time and therefore saved time and energy, its effect of increasing split percent may not be appealing to some consumers. This study has demonstrated that bean soaking significantly reduced cooking time and split percent and these can also be affected by type of cooking water

Lutter contre les carences en micronutriments au Cameroun par la biofortification du haricot commun

La biofortification est un processus par lequel la valeur nutritionnelle (vitamines et/ou minéraux) d’une culture vivrière est améliorée par le processus de sélection conventionnelle. L’amélioration de nouvelles variétés biofortifiées repose sur la sélection génétique pour développer une plante avec des teneurs plus élevées en protéines, vitamines et les minéraux, notamment le fer, le zinc, la provitamine A, etc,. Onze haricots améliorés riches en fer et en zinc ont été introduits sur le marché au Cameroun à la suite d’une récente analyse nutritionnelle portant sur plus de 30 variétés de haricots communs (variétés locales et variétés introduites). L’adoption et la diffusion de ces variétés nouvellement identifiées avec une grande concentration en fer et en zinc contribuera à lutter contre les carences en fer et en zinc chez les femmes et les enfants de moins de cinq ans. La culture et la vente du haricot amélioré permettront également d’améliorer les revenus et la sécurité alimentaire des ménages. Le haricot commun est la légumineuse la plus cultivée et la plus consommée, et une des sources de protéine plus accessible au Cameroun. La promulgation de ces nouvelles variétés de haricot riche en fer et en zinc et leur adoption ultérieure dans les régimes alimentaires des ménages constitue une intervention peu coûteuse pour lutter contre les problèmes de santé publique liés aux carences en fer et en zinc au sein de la population

Addressing micronutrient deficiency in Cameroon through common bean biofortification

Biofortification is a process through which the nutritional value – vitamins or minerals of a food crop is enhanced through conventional breeding. Through biofortification, vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, provitamin A etc. are enhanced. Eleven high iron and zinc beans have been released in Cameroon after a recent nutritional screening of more than 30 common bean varieties (local landraces and improved bean varieties). The adoption and dissemination of these newly identified high iron and zinc varieties will contribute to addressing iron and zinc deficiency among women and children under five. Growing and selling beans will also ensure income and food security for the household. Common beans are the most grown and consumed legume and affordable source of protein in Cameroon. The release of high iron and zinc beans and subsequent incorporation into the household diets is a cost-effective intervention in addressing health disorders related to inadequate intake of iron and zinc

Bean commodity corridors scaling up production and market expansion for smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa

More structured production, distribution, and trade are important in upgrading bean value chains for higher trade volumes, farmer incomes, and national revenue. A strategic intervention to achieve these goals efficiently and effectively involves the use of a commodity corridor approach. Commodity corridors are areas of bean intensification characterized by flows of products from production to consumption points. These intensification zones are characterized by significant bean activities that include production, distribution, and consumption, and are supported by vast networks of actors. Sub-Saharan African has a low and declining share in the global trade of agricultural products; hence, the continent is trying to incorporate geographic and regional trading blocs to align them with private- sector partnership programs. The aim of this policy direction is to use territorial comparative advantages to increase market power and share, and promote regional development, which ultimately can lead to country- specific economic development and poverty reduction. In this document, we draw on data, lessons, and experiences curated over the six years when the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) implemented the bean corridor model (under the Improving Bean Production and Marketing in Africa project funded by Global Affairs Canada) to inform how a bean corridor can be conceptualized and operationalized. The conceptualization is based on economic growth approaches in the literature and inclusive business models and tools using beans as a case. We supply evidence of bean corridors that have emerged over time, benefits that arise from a functional bean corridor, and the roles of lead firms and facilitators. Here, the bean corridor is taken as a boundary-spanning tool that can bring spatially focused, and commodity-focused development approaches together to solve persistent market failures along the bean value chain. Evidence shows that a bean corridor can emerge when there is a marketable product, for example, a preferred bean variety, and lead firm(s) and facilitator(s) to smoothen the trading process. The bean corridor then facilitates trade in large volumes of beans, stimulates public- and private- sector investments into the development of novel bean products, and increases value chain coordination efficiency. By bringing together the actors, through multi-stakeholder platforms, and harnessing information and communication technologies and digital tools, the bean corridor leads to improved market efficiency. By using the bean corridor to improve the business environment, to strengthen linkages between research and research product users (traders, processors, seed producers, farmers, etc.); and between bean farmers and buyers, and engagement with policy makers, its potential to enhance value chain efficiency (e.g., inputs and output aggregations) and ultimately to transform the largely informal ad hoc bean market to a structured bean trade has been demonstrated. This approach can find applicability in other commodities amenable to intensification driven by markets

Appui a la mise en oeuvre de l’ Integration Regionale des Centres de Recherche et a la coordinaton regionale. Project Intégré de Croissance Agricole dans les Grand Lacs (PICAGL) –Projet Régional

This report is related to activities implemented from 1 July - 30 September 2022 by the Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT, Harvest Plus and the Pan Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) based on the contract signed with IITA under PICAGL project. This period was mainly characterized by selecting bean varieties to adapt to low and mid highland bean varieties that can adapt to humid environments of Uvira and Fizi in South Kivu and Tanganyika province, identifying and engaging partners for introduction and production of bio-fortified beans (High iron bean) and Maize (Vitamin A Maize) in targeted sites of South Kivu and Tanganyika