Small seed packs, efficient approach to reach hard to reach in drought prone areas: experiences from Kenya

This study aimed to increase farmers’ access to certified bean seed in marginal/drought prone areas of Kenya. Beans are important food crop in Kenya and grown mainly by small scale farmers in drought prone areas. Access to certified seed of improved bean varieties is mainly through relief. Despite the presence of more than 70 seed companies operating in Kenya, only two companies market bean seed particularly to government and humanitarian organizations rather creating a sustainable seed market. One of the mentioned reasons is lack of business profitability and unreliable market in bean seed. In partnership with a seed company, NGO and public organizations, CIAT‐PABRA/KARI set up marketing trials to establish the affordability, marketability of small seed packs (100‐2000g) and how to sustain their supply. It was noted that during farmers’ meeting and field days, farmers particularly women prefer 100g (USD 0.13) and 250g (USD 0.66) while buying from agro‐dealers shops, farmers prefer between 500g (USD 1.05) ,1000 g (USD 1.91) and 2000g (USD 2.63) . While public organizations and CARD (NGO) sold 50% and 35% of their stocks respectively, the seed company through its agro-dealership sold almost 90% of its stocks. Small seed packs are useful tool to access certified seed ( of improved bean varieties to a large range of farmers (rich and poor and men or women) and also provide an opportunity to build private sector capacity in the dry land . For instance Dryland seed company has already started using small packs for beans, cowpeas, mungo beans and maize in 500g, 1kg and 2kg rather five kg packs

A cost-benefit analysis of farmer based seed production for common bean in Kenya

Community based informal seed production has recently gained popularity as an alternative to the formal seed sector of disseminating new crop varieties including the common bean. This is because farmer produced seed is readily available and is more affordable by most farmers than certified seed. This study examined the profitability of farmer based common bean seed production in Kenya. The study used data collected from farmers and one seed company participating in seed multiplication. The principal finding was that farmer based common bean seed production was a profitable enterprise and was less sensitive to price fluctuations. Compared to certified common bean seed production, net profit margins were five times higher for certified common bean seed than for farmer based common bean seed production. With the current varieties, profitability depends on access to irrigation and good agronomy.Une production formelle de semences communautaires a r\ue9cemment gagn\ue9 la popularit\ue9 comme une alternative au secteur formel de semence de dissemination de nouvelles vari\ue9t\ue9s des cultures dont le haricot commun. Ceci se justifie par le fait que la semence produite par les fermiers est disponible et est plus abordable par la plupart de fermiers que la semence certifi\ue9e. Cette \ue9tude a examin\ue9 la profitabilit\ue9 de la production de semence par les fermiers au Kenya. Les donn\ue9es utilis\ue9es \ue9taient celles collect\ue9es chez les fermiers et dans une compagnie de multiplication de semence. Le principal r\ue9sultat \ue9tait que la production communautaire de semence de haricot commun \ue9tait une enterprise profitable et \ue9tait moins sensitive aux fluctuations des prix. En comparaison \ue0 la production certifi\ue9e de semence de haricot commun, les profits nets marginaux \ue9taient cinq fois plus \ue9lev\ue9s pour la semence du haricot commun certifi\ue9e que pour la production de m\ueame semence par les fermiers. Avec de vari\ue9t\ue9s actuelles, la profitabilit\ue9 d\ue9pends de l\u2019acc\ue8s \ue0 l\u2019irrigation et une bonne agronomie

Bean utilization and commercialization in great lakes region of Central Africa: the case of smallholder farmers in Burundi

This paper evaluates production and commercialization constraints that prevent smallholder farmers from effectively utilizing beans with regard to household food and income security. The study was conducted in six provinces of Burundi in 2010 using a multi-stage stratified sampling procedure to select a sample of 380 smallholder bean farmers. Linear regression models were used to estimate factors influencing the quantity of beans marketed by smallholder farmers. Different ways in which beans are utilized include household consumption, selling, gifts and as seeds. Both improved and local seeds are used, with over 65% of farmers in Muyinga planting local varieties. Results showed that highly educated farmers were more likely to increase commercialization by 10%. However storage of beans for food was more likely to reduce commercialization by 23% while those who gave out beans as gifts had a higher (12%) chance of commercialization. Transport losses were likely to reduce commercialization by 15%, but knowledge of bean networks and access to information from traders was likely to increase bean commercialization by about 10%. Emphasis on interventions (information and extension services) that increase farm level productivity and market led approaches between potential buyers of beans and rural communities will help to reduce poverty and address food insecurity in rural areas

David Wozemba Marketing Specialist

Interview with marketing specialist David Wozemb

A cost-benefit analysis of farmer based seed production for common bean in Kenya

Community based informal seed production has recently gained popularity as an alternative to the formal seed sector of disseminating new crop varieties including the common bean. This is because farmer produced seed is readily available and is more affordable by most farmers than certified seed. This study examined the profitability of farmer based common bean seed production in Kenya. The study used data collected from farmers and one seed company participating in seed multiplication. The principal finding was that farmer based common bean seed production was a profitable enterprise and was less sensitive to price fluctuations. Compared to certified common bean seed production, net profit margins were five times higher for certified common bean seed than for farmer based common bean seed production. With the current varieties, profitability depends on access to irrigation and good agronomy.Une production formelle de semences communautaires a récemment gagné la popularité comme une alternative au secteur formel de semence de dissemination de nouvelles variétés des cultures dont le haricot commun. Ceci se justifie par le fait que la semence produite par les fermiers est disponible et est plus abordable par la plupart de fermiers que la semence certifiée. Cette étude a examiné la profitabilité de la production de semence par les fermiers au Kenya. Les données utilisées étaient celles collectées chez les fermiers et dans une compagnie de multiplication de semence. Le principal résultat était que la production communautaire de semence de haricot commun était une enterprise profitable et était moins sensitive aux fluctuations des prix. En comparaison à la production certifiée de semence de haricot commun, les profits nets marginaux étaient cinq fois plus élevés pour la semence du haricot commun certifiée que pour la production de même semence par les fermiers. Avec de variétés actuelles, la profitabilité dépends de l’accès à l’irrigation et une bonne agronomie

Factors influencing small-holder farmers\u2019 bean production and supply to market in Burundi

Common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L) is a major staple food in Burundi; thus increasing its production and marketing has the potential for raising incomes of the farming households. In the country, bean outputs have been declining for decades, yet demand for the crop in East Africa has surged considerably. This study was conducted in Burundi to assess the determinants of quantity produced and marketed by smallholder farmers. A total of 380 farmers obtained through a multistage sampling technique, constituted the study sample. Constraints to production and supply of beans to markets include lack of productive assets, lack of improved varieties and inadequate use of fertilisers. Results with regard to these constraints indicate that a unit increase in the value of productive assets is likely to lead to about 10 percent increase in production of beans; while changing to improved bean varieties may increase production by 22%. In addition, a kilogram increase in fertiliser use is likely to raise bean quantities produced by about 10%. Constraints that affect quantities of beans marketed by farmers include levels of production and losses due to transport problems. Thus, an increase in quantity produced will lead to an almost 30% increase in marketed quantities, while reduction in transport losses will lead to an increase in marketed quantities by about 12%. However, an increase in quantity of beans stored for food will lead a reduction in marketed beans by about 19%, implying that storage of beans may not be targeted at the market but for food security purposes. Efforts that promote collective action among farmers while encouraging increasing the proportion of land under beans are likely to enhance bean production and consequently marketable surplus.Le haricot commun ( Phaseolus vulgaris L) est une nourriture principale au Burundi; ainsi l\u2019augmentation de sa production et son marketing est un potential pour accro\ueetre les revenus familiaux de ressources agricoles. Dans le pays, la production de haricot a connu une baisse depuis bon nombre de d\ue9cennies, alors que la demande en cette denr\ue9e s\u2019est accrue consid\ue9rablement en Afrique de l\u2019Est. Cette \ue9tude \ue9tait men\ue9e au Burundi pour \ue9valuer les d\ue9terminants de quantit\ue9s produites et marchandes par les petits fermiers. Un \ue9chantillon de 380 fermiers obtenus par la technique d\u2019\ue9chantilonnage \ue0 niveau multiple \ue9tait consid\ue9r\ue9. Les contraintes \ue0 la production et \ue0 la fourniture de haricot sur le march\ue9 comprennent le manque de mat\ue9riel productif, manque de vari\ue9ti\ue9s am\ue9lior\ue9es et l\u2019utilisation non ad\ue9quate des fertilisants. Les r\ue9sultats en relation avec ces contraintes indiquent que l\u2019accroissement d\u2019une unit\ue9 de valeur du mat\ue9riel productif entra\ueene environ 10% d\u2019augmentation de la production de haricot, alors qu\u2019en utilisant des vari\ue9t\ue9s am\ue9lior\ue9es la production serait accrue de 22%. En plus, une augmentation d\u2019un kilogramme de fertilisants pourrait accro\ueetre les quantit\ue9s de haricot produites d\u2019environ 10%. Les contraintes qui affectent les quantit\ue9s de haricot fournies sur le march\ue9 par les fermiers incluent les niveaux de production et pertes dus aux probl\ue8mes de transport. Ainsi, l\u2019augmentation en quantit\ue9 produite induira environ 30% d\u2019accroissement de quantit\ue9s fournies, alors qu\u2019en r\ue9duisant les pertes li\ue9es au transport induira une augmentation en quantit\ue9s marchandes d\u2019environ 12%. Cependant, une augmentation en quantit\ue9 de haricot sctock\ue9 pour consommation induira une r\ue9duction de la quantit\ue9 marchande de haricot d\u2019environ 19%, impliquant que le stockage de haricot ne pourrait \ueatre vis\ue9 au march\ue9 mais plut\uf4t pour s\ue9curit\ue9 alimentaire. Efforts qui favorisent l\u2019action collective entre les agriculteurs tout en contribuant \ue0 l\u2019am\ue9lioration des champs de haricots pourraient aussi augmenter la production du haricot et par cons\ue9quent un surplus de vente

A cost-benefit analysis of farmer based seed production for common bean in Kenya

Community based informal seed production has recently gained popularity as an alternative to the formal seed sector of disseminating new crop varieties including the common bean. This is because farmer produced seed is readily available and is more affordable by most farmers than certified seed. This study examined the profitability of farmer based common bean seed production in Kenya. The study used data collected from farmers and one seed company participating in seed multiplication. The principal finding was that farmer based common bean seed production was a profitable enterprise and was less sensitive to price fluctuations. Compared to certified common bean seed production, net profit margins were five times higher for certified common bean seed than for farmer based common bean seed production. With the current varieties, profitability depends on access to irrigation and good agronomy

Factors influencing smallholder farmers’ bean production and supply to market in Burundi

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) is a major staple food in Burundi; thus increasing its production and marketing has the potential for raising incomes of the farming households. In the country, bean outputs have been declining for decades, yet demand for the crop in East Africa has surged considerably. This study was conducted in Burundi to assess the determinants of quantity produced and marketed by smallholder farmers. A total of 380 farmers obtained through a multistage sampling technique, constituted the study sample. Constraints to production and supply of beans to markets include lack of productive assets, lack of improved varieties and inadequate use of fertilisers. Results with regard to these constraints indicate that a unit increase in the value of productive assets is likely to lead to about 10 percent increase in production of beans; while changing to improved bean varieties may increase production by 22%. In addition, a kilogram increase in fertiliser use is likely to raise bean quantities produced by about 10%. Constraints that affect quantities of beans marketed by farmers include levels of production and losses due to transport problems. Thus, an increase in quantity produced will lead to an almost 30% increase in marketed quantities, while reduction in transport losses will lead to an increase in marketed quantities by about 12%. However, an increase in quantity of beans stored for food will lead a reduction in marketed beans by about 19%, implying that storage of beans may not be targeted at the market but for food security purposes. Efforts that promote collective action among farmers while encouraging increasing the proportion of land under beans are likely to enhance bean production and consequently marketable surplus

Factors influencing small-holder farmers’ bean production and supply to market in Burundi

Common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L) is a major staple food in Burundi; thus increasing its production and marketing has the potential for raising incomes of the farming households. In the country, bean outputs have been declining for decades, yet demand for the crop in East Africa has surged considerably. This study was conducted in Burundi to assess the determinants of quantity produced and marketed by smallholder farmers. A total of 380 farmers obtained through a multistage sampling technique, constituted the study sample. Constraints to production and supply of beans to markets include lack of productive assets, lack of improved varieties and inadequate use of fertilisers. Results with regard to these constraints indicate that a unit increase in the value of productive assets is likely to lead to about 10 percent increase in production of beans; while changing to improved bean varieties may increase production by 22%. In addition, a kilogram increase in fertiliser use is likely to raise bean quantities produced by about 10%. Constraints that affect quantities of beans marketed by farmers include levels of production and losses due to transport problems. Thus, an increase in quantity produced will lead to an almost 30% increase in marketed quantities, while reduction in transport losses will lead to an increase in marketed quantities by about 12%. However, an increase in quantity of beans stored for food will lead a reduction in marketed beans by about 19%, implying that storage of beans may not be targeted at the market but for food security purposes. Efforts that promote collective action among farmers while encouraging increasing the proportion of land under beans are likely to enhance bean production and consequently marketable surplus.Le haricot commun ( Phaseolus vulgaris L) est une nourriture principale au Burundi; ainsi l’augmentation de sa production et son marketing est un potential pour accroître les revenus familiaux de ressources agricoles. Dans le pays, la production de haricot a connu une baisse depuis bon nombre de décennies, alors que la demande en cette denrée s’est accrue considérablement en Afrique de l’Est. Cette étude était menée au Burundi pour évaluer les déterminants de quantités produites et marchandes par les petits fermiers. Un échantillon de 380 fermiers obtenus par la technique d’échantilonnage à niveau multiple était considéré. Les contraintes à la production et à la fourniture de haricot sur le marché comprennent le manque de matériel productif, manque de variétiés améliorées et l’utilisation non adéquate des fertilisants. Les résultats en relation avec ces contraintes indiquent que l’accroissement d’une unité de valeur du matériel productif entraîne environ 10% d’augmentation de la production de haricot, alors qu’en utilisant des variétés améliorées la production serait accrue de 22%. En plus, une augmentation d’un kilogramme de fertilisants pourrait accroître les quantités de haricot produites d’environ 10%. Les contraintes qui affectent les quantités de haricot fournies sur le marché par les fermiers incluent les niveaux de production et pertes dus aux problèmes de transport. Ainsi, l’augmentation en quantité produite induira environ 30% d’accroissement de quantités fournies, alors qu’en réduisant les pertes liées au transport induira une augmentation en quantités marchandes d’environ 12%. Cependant, une augmentation en quantité de haricot sctocké pour consommation induira une réduction de la quantité marchande de haricot d’environ 19%, impliquant que le stockage de haricot ne pourrait être visé au marché mais plutôt pour sécurité alimentaire. Efforts qui favorisent l’action collective entre les agriculteurs tout en contribuant à l’amélioration des champs de haricots pourraient aussi augmenter la production du haricot et par conséquent un surplus de vente