- KALRO is training 20,000 farmers in five counties on the drought tolerant and disease resistant Waithera bean variety.
- The programme is promoting farmer aggregation, better market prices and links to processors and export markets.
- Waithera matures in 60 to 70 days and can produce up to 10 bags of 90kg per acre.
At least 20,000 bean farmers in five counties will benefit from KALRO training on the new drought-tolerant Waithera bean variety.
The farmers are drawn from Nakuru, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Bomet and Elgeyo Marakwet counties. The training covers innovative farming practices for high-yielding, drought-tolerant and disease-resistant bean varieties, as Kenya seeks to increase production, improve food security and open new markets for farmers.
The training is being implemented by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research organisation (KALRO) and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), with support from the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.
The programme is promoting the cultivation of the ‘Waithera’ bean variety, developed by KALRO. KALRO National Coordinator for Grains and Legumes, Dr David Karanja, said the programme was working to secure reliable markets for farmers by negotiating better prices and linking them with buyers, while encouraging them to aggregate their produce through cooperatives.
“We have been training them on aggregation, where they bring their individual harvest together under one roof through cooperatives so that it can be ferried to markets,” he said.
READ ALSO:
Unison Sacco hosts Nakuru business dinner forum to support SME growth
The initiative is also exploring the establishment of a bean value chain that would link farmers to processors capable of converting beans into value-added products such as noodles and other food products.
KALRO is further training farmers on standards required in the European Union and other export markets to enable them to access regional and international opportunities.
Dr Karanja spoke at Kiambogo Centre in Gilgil Sub-county, Nakuru, where he joined Dr Jean Claude Rubyogo, leader of the global bean programme at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and director of PABRA, to flag off 12 tonnes of beans produced by Ushirikiano Women Group.
He said the ‘Waithera’ variety matures in about 60 to 70 days, is drought-tolerant and relatively resistant to common bean diseases. KALRO estimates that farmers can harvest between six and 10 bags of 90 kilograms per acre.
“The beans are known for their ability to produce 6-10, 90 kg bags per acre, making them a popular choice for farmers. ‘Waithera’ beans also mature early (60-70 days), are drought-tolerant, and are relatively resistant to common bean diseases,” Dr Karanja said.
Dr Rubyogo said farmers needed to understand international standards and post-harvest requirements if they were to benefit from export markets. He noted that the ‘Waithera’ variety contains high levels of iron and zinc, nutrients that can help address deficiencies affecting vulnerable populations.
The variety was developed at KALRO Katumani and released for national trials and commercialisation in 2024 after scientists tested 47 bean varieties from Kenya and Uganda.
By Bernard Magada
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
