Results
In PABRA we don’t just aim to improve the technologies, delivery systems and marketing of beans. We aim to create impact – to improve the food security, income and health of smallholder farmers and urban dwellers across Africa.
It’s easy to know our outputs emanating from the activities. For example, we record the number of varieties released each year; and the number of researchers, farmers and community members that attend PABRA supported trainings.
To find out exactly what impact our work has had – and is having – on our target populations and their environments, we carry out ‘impact assessment’ studies based on intensive surveys aimed at eliciting specific information on the extent to which bean technologies are used and what benefits those using them are realising. In collaboration with our partners, we have conducted (and continue to conduct) a number of adoption and impact assessment studies.
Here are some of our headline results:
- Adoption of climbing bean varieties substantially increased over the past 15 years, occupying about 43 percent of the national area planted to beans.
- Overall adoption of improved varieties in Rwanda and Uganda increased by about 20% between 2004 and 2011.
- In Uganda, improved bean varieties released since 1998 were cultivated on about 125,000 ha in 2012.
- In Ethiopia, improved bean varieties released between 2002 and 2012 were cultivated on about 142,715.2 ha by 2012.
- Adopters of these improved varieties in Rwanda have experienced 53% yield gains, while productivity in Uganda has increased by about 60%.
- In Rwanda, 16% more households would have been food insecure without the improved bean varieties; in Uganda 2% more households would have been food insecure.
- In Zambia, studies observed gender biases in bean production that favor men against women, with pronounced variations across provinces, supporting the conclusion that additional interventions are needed.
For more information, read our impact assessment reports below:
- Diffusion and Impact of Improved Varieties in Africa (DIIVA) Project July 2014
- Impact of Bean Research in Rwanda and Uganda Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA) December 2014
- Farm level adoption and spacial diffusion of improved common bean varieties in Southern Highlands of Tanzania (technical survey report, 2014)
- Assessing access and adoption of common bean improved varieties in Zambia (technical survey report, 2015) – to follow
- Farm level impacts of improved bean varieties and agronomic technologies in Rwanda, Kalyebara et al, 2008. Report highlights