News
VACANCY: Bean Program Breeder
The Organization: The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives....
PABRA among 2022 Innovation Sprint winners
The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate), a global initiative launched last November at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) by the United Arab Emirates and the United States, recently at the COP 27 announced a doubling of...
Bean seed multiplication business attracting more investment
By Authors: Sylvia Kalemera, Blaise Ndabashinze and Eric Nduwarugira, Astere Bararyenya, Patricia Onyango, Owen Kimani and Jean Claude Rubyogo Mr. Leonidas Nimpagaritse, is a hardworking man. He is a common bean seed producer based in Gitega province in Burundi....
Women who are movers and shakers in the bean Industry
Dr. Catherine Madata – the bean legend in Tanzania Authors: Sylvia Kalemera, Agnes Ndunguru, Fadhili Kasubiri, Radegunda Kessy Eleven years after retirement, Dr. Catherine Madata is still doing active breeding work, a demonstration of how passionate she is about...
Partnerships improving bean quality for Zambian local export market
By Mulube Mwiinga , Rachel Muthoni Andriatsitohaina, and Wilson Nkhata. The Zambian bean sector has been on a growth spurt for the past couple of years. The increase in partnerships with value chain actors, Zambian farmers bean yield was very low averaging about 0.45...
Gender inclusivity: Couples partnering to promote bean business in Zimbabwe
By Nyarai Chisorochengwe, Shylet Tsekenedza, Eileen Nchanji, Patricia Onyango, Owen Kimani Lime is a registered group of 17 members comprising seven couples, one widow and two young women based in Chimanimani district in Manicaland province. Their vision is to produce...
25 years of PABRA’s bean transformation in Africa
During the inaugural AGRF meeting in Kigali Rwanda, Pan Africa Bean Research Alliance Improved yields, incomes and nutrition, from the beans. “Hearing from the mothers and grandmother in Siaya county in Kenya of how the income from beans is paying for the children’s...
Beans for better nutrition and attainment of the global goals
By Gerardine Mukeshimana, Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources in Rwanda,and Juan Lucas Restrepo, Global Director for partnerships & advocacy at CGIAR,and Director General of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Rwanda takes nutrition...
Beans Is How – PABRA Celebrating 25 years – Agenda
Beans are a staple food and source of livelihood in Africa. Recognizing this, PABRA members comprising the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, NARS, and value chain actors aim to improve bean production and consumption. This innovative partnership brings...
Much Achieved – But Still a Long Way To Go
Research can play a vital role in reducing poverty and environmental degradation, as has been clearly illustrated in the case of food security. Researchers have helped to achieve remarkable breakthroughs – but they face huge challenges. Lucy Gituamba never imagined...
Farmer Cooperatives transforming smallholder livelihood in Kenya
By Owen Kimani, Boaz Waswa, Eileen Nchanji, Patricia Onyango, Noel Templer Agriculture cooperatives play a key role in enhancing productivity and access to markets for smallholder farmers. Most farmers’ cooperatives in Kenya have attempted to establish...
World Leaders Must Look at the Big Picture to Solve Food Crisis
by Marco Ferroni - Chair, CGIAR System Board From the worst drought in four decades threatening famine across the Horn of Africa to extreme heat in South Asia, the war in Ukraine and the unequal pace of pandemic recovery, global food systems are under...
Soil testing platform, a gamechanger in maximizing bean yield for farmers in Uganda
Soil analysis is important in agriculture because it determines the inputs required for efficient use of soil for crop production. A proper soil test, therefore, ensures that the right fertilizer will be applied to the soil to meet the optimum nutrient requirements of...
Canada’s partnership contributes to improved food security and inclusive entrepreneurship in Africa
As part of his recent visit to Kenya, Rwanda and South Sudan, the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) and International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) Nairobi offices were greatly honored to host Honorable Harjit S. Sajjan...
Delivering Safe Beans for Better Health
By Dr. Boaz Waswa, Senior Scientist - Pan Africa Bean Research Alliance According to FAO, foodborne diseases affect 1 in 10 people worldwide each year. Over 600 million people fall sick due to various foodborne illnesses. In addition, foodborne illness is responsible...
Making the Bean Corridor work: Lessons from Tanzania
by Radegunda Kessy, Sylvia Kalemera, Nestory Shida Fadhili Kasubiri, Agness Ndunguru, Mary Ndimbo, Mary Mdachi, Julius Mbiu, Jean Claude Rubyogo and Patricia Onyango Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plays a key role in the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in...
The Impact Partnerships on Smallholder Farmers: Case of Gendro community in Kenya
The long-standing partnership between PABRA and the Canadian government spans over two decades. This partnership has been through initiatives towards food, income, and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa ensuring rural women are the biggest beneficiaries across...
Local Farmers to Benefit from Bean value chain projects in Malawi
About 100,000 smallholder farmers in Malawi will benefit from two projects recently launched in Malawi, seeking to improve the common bean value chain through increased production, processing and value addition and access to readily available markets. The Alliance of...
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH BEAN FLOURS
For reduced market barriers, diversified enterprise and livelihood opportunities, and increased availability of diverse nutrient-rich foods How are bean flours empowering women in the African region? When the country plunged into a crisis as a result of the political...
Empowering Zinduka Women’s Group in Tanzania to Produce Quality Bean Seed and Better Their Community
This post is by Fadhili Kasubiri, Michael Kilango, Agnes Ndunguru, Mary Ndimbo, Kessy Radegunda, Sylvia Kalemera, Patricia Onyango, Noel Templer, Teshale Mamo, Eileen Nchanji and Jean Claude Rubyogo. In 2010, a Zinduka women’s group based in the Mshewe village in...