PRODUCTIVE: A lady weeds the high quality K132 beans

By Timothy Muwonge 
and Proscovia Nansubuga

BEAN farmers in Wakiso district have a reason to smile. Their three-year-long participatory research in the selection, evaluation and development of improved bean varieties has yielded positive results. 

They have selected and produced beans of the K132 variety, which produces high quality seed. It is high-yielding, disease-resistant, matures early, marketable and one of the sure ways of increasing incomes and food security countrywide. 

In Gombe sub-county, several households have set up small plots of beans, an indication of the high adoption process of the bean varieties. 

The primary studies on the beans are conducted on group demonstration gardens. This is a countrywide move coordinated by Namulonge Agricultural and Animal Research Institute to decentralise the production of quality bean seed varieties. It is one of the strategies to improve the adoption of improved bean varieties that meet different agro-ecological needs. 

Gombe Kuteesa Bean Seed Farmers Association is one of the several bean seed-producing groups in the central region. It consists of 11 members. The output from their trial gardens inspired them to take up bean-growing as a business. 

“Ever since I discovered the K132 bean variety, which I grow and sell to nearby schools, my life has greatly improved. All I do is plant and weed on time. It has a ready market. 
“I am sure of getting money. The buyers book my beans in advance at sh1,200 per kilogramme,” said a beaming Sauda Nabaggala, the group’s vice-chairperson. 

Nabaggala was sharing her experiences with guests, among whom were researchers and other bean seed producers from various parts of the country and farmers from surrounding communities during the Gombe Kuteesa Bean Seed Producers Association field day recently. 

Field days bring together various stakeholders in bean production to discuss achievements, challenges and chart ways of increasing bean production. 
The Director Namulonge Agricultural Research Institute, Dr Fina Opio, said the institute has empowered several farmer groups in different regions to grow quality bean seed as one of the strategies to increase the availability of quality seed countrywide. 

“The field day is a big opportunity for researchers to get feedback from clients and an avenue to disseminate knowledge, skills and technology to other farmers. It is also in line with the Government’s Poverty Eradication Action Plan and the Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture to increase agricultural productivity, food security and incomes,” said Dr Opio. 
The field day was an opportunity for the farmers to initiate more market linkages with fellow farmers and the business community. 

The head of the bean research programme at Namulonge, Dr Michael Ugen, urged the farmers to increase their production scale so they could fully exploit the high market prices. 

“Work out comprehensive business plans and we will partner with you to fulfill those plans, Ugen said.