A demonstration farm for snap beans

High value non-staple crops have a huge potential to impact the economies of Eastern and Central Africa, according to a study, Strategic Priorities for Agricultural Development in Eastern and Central Africa, commissioned by ASARECA in 2005.

Among other uses, the crops play a significant role in human nutrition (proteins, vitamins, micronutrients) and health (pharmaceutical value). These crops provide nutritional security and health for the general masses and particularly to the most vulnerable groups like pregnant   women and breast feeding mothers, and children below five years and HIV/AIDS patients.

High value non staple crops include  beverage crops like coffee and tea; oil crops like oil palm, groundnuts, soybeans; fruits like mangoes and citrus; vegetables like tomatoes, onions and garlic; and pulses like snap, dry and runner beans, and field, snap and string peas.

Coffee and tea are known as traditional cash crops in most of Eastern and Central Africa. Oil crops like oil palm, soybean and sunflower produce edible oils which once processed and packaged, increase in economic value several times over, way beyond the reach of the common person.

 "Among the pulses, snow-peas and snap-beans fetch premium prices in domestic high-end markets and in European supermarkets," notes Dr. Mwamburi Mcharo the manager of ASARECA's High Value Non-Staple Crops programme.

Fruits and vegetables are also marketable on the local and export markets thus contributing significantly to the economic empowerment of the community and socio-economic change in general, he notes. The programme is working towards ASARECA's vision to be a regional leader in agricultural research and development for improved livelihoods by promoting high yielding and demand-driven crop varieties that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses.

The programme promotes efficient multiplication and delivery of seed and other planting materials, and uptake of appropriate technologies in ECA. Top on its agenda is support to research into innovations for improving value chain efficiency and market competitiveness. To this end, the programme carries out capacity development of value chain actors, entrepreneurship and financial resources mobilisation, and information and knowledge management.

Snap beans, the hot item on the market

The programme is currently working to enhance competitiveness of snap beans (French beans) for domestic and export markets. Snap beans are growing in importance in East and Central Africa (ECA). The crop could address food insecurity, improve incomes and alleviate poverty. Compared to the common dry beans, snap beans obtain 12-fold the value of dry beans on dry weight basis in Kenya and Uganda. Snap beans are also harvested earlier and for a longer period than dry beans, and they require much less energy for cooking.

However, insect pests and diseases have constrained production and contributed to the high yield losses. Farmers rely mainly on costly pesticides to control pests and diseases, thus, increasing production costs and possible toxic accumulation of agrochemicals commonly referred to as Minimum Residue Levels (MRLs). In addition, Smallholder snap bean production is threatened by lack of affordable and marketable snap bean cultivars whose seed can be produced and disseminated through formal and informal seed delivery systems.

Current varieties are patented by foreign multinational companies, which prohibit seed production by smallholder farmers.

It is anticipated that the deployment of resistant genes and the use of other improved integrated snap bean production technologies will reduce production costs.  Working with National Crop Resource Research Institute (NaCRRI) Namulonge in Uganda, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) Thika in Kenya, the University of Nairobi, Kenya, Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda (ISAR) in Rwanda, Selian Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) in Tanzania, ASARECA is undertaking research into enhanced utilisation of improved snap bean germplasm and management practices in Eastern and Central Africa.

The snap bean project was first conducted for six months in 2006, but due to suspension of funding, it went into abeyance for three years until it was revived in 2009 in a restructured ASARECA. Planting for the first season commenced at Namulonge in October 2009.  The other countries started later.

On 9th and 10th December 2009, the programme held a regional workshop that brought together key players in the snap beans commodity value chain. This was in order to discuss issues affecting its marketing both in the domestic and international markets.  The stakeholders were from Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The outcome of the workshop and much more will soon be made available.

"This is certainly space to watch in the coming days, months and year. We will be looking out for signs of knowledge and skills of stakeholders to participate in domestic, regional and international markets and market chains," Mcharo states.

"We will be looking forward to the introduction of snap bean varieties that meet domestic and export markets, improved agronomic (cultural, biological, chemical and mechanical) management packages for snap beans, improved pre and post harvest management packages for snap beans, uptake and utilization of snap bean technologies," he notes.

A new and befitting name

The High Value Non Staple Crops Programme, formally known as the 'Non Staple Crops' programme, attained its new name  in December following approval by the board of directors meeting in the ocean town of Mombasa, Kenya.

The baptism is a key development especially at a time when ASARECA is undergoing 'a renaissance' that was flagged off over a year ago, with the introduction of a programmatic approach to achieve her objectives.

The new name, which comes with new a new list of promises and a proactive spirit, is meant to change perceptions and identity of the programme that was established against a background of limited research focus on beverage and oil crops, fruits, vegetables and pulses.

The name was first adopted by stakeholders at a strategic planning workshop from June 22-26, 2009 at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel, Entebbe.  Further discussions of the matter with the Executive Director, earned this noble initiative executive endorsement, which sailed it to the board.

According to Dr. Mwamburi Mcharo, the old name started with a negative connotation "non" which could bear overtones of lack or inferiority.

"In order to strategically attract all stakeholders to support the programme in the implementation of its activities, buy-in and feel proud to belong, the participants recommended a positive and attractive name—High Value Non-Staple Crops," he said.

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