E. Ouma

Bean Utilization and Commercialization in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa: The Case of Smallholder Farmers in Burundi

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a very important staple food crop in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. Beans are a major source of food and revenue for smallholder farmers who make up the bulk of the poor population. The average per capita consumption of beans in Burundi of 60 kg/year is among the highest in the world. Beans play an important role but suffer from production constraints, poor efficiency of market systems and market knowledge, albeit undocumented. This study explores the utilization patterns of beans and examines factors influencing the commercialization of the crop in Burundi in order to provide valuable insights on how to improve the marketing system. Data were collected from a sample of 380 farmers obtained through multistage sampling technique. The production system for the common bean is characterized by low input, low output regimes, with a large proportion of the harvest being utilized for household consumption; thus remains limited marketable surplus. The seed sector in Burundi is dominated by the informal sector with more than half of the farmers using local seeds, a trend observed across all the provinces. The key determinants of bean commercialization include the quantity stored for food, the gender of the household head, education level, access to market through traders, and knowledge of bean network significantly influenced the commercialization of beans in smallholder systems. Therefore, to improve bean commercialization, interventions that increase farm productivity and foster commercial linkages between input suppliers, output buyers, and rural communities through market information systems should be emphasized. Continuous advocacy for seed policy change in Burundi to facilitate quick deliveries and linking farmers to output markets would enhance commercialization. Policy that encourages the industrial processing of beans is essential for increased food access and improved rural incomes.

Agronomic evaluation of common and improved dessert banana cultivars at different altitudes across Burundi

Banana is an important crop for food and income in Burundi. However, average annual yields are low (5 t/ha) because of low and declining soil fertility, and pest and disease pressure. To help overcome the challenges to banana production in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa, the Consortium for the Improvement of Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA) has been promoting and facilitating access to new high-yielding, pest- and disease-resistant improved hybrid banana cultivars with good consumer acceptability. The agronomic performance of the improved hybrid ‘FHIA-17’ and six commonly grown dessert banana cultivars was evaluated at six sites with contrasting altitudes across Burundi from 2008 to 2012. The data were analysed using linear mixed-effects modelling. ‘FHIA-17’ significantly outperformed the other cultivars as it had the heaviest bunch weight, was in the group of cultivars with the most hands and fruits, and the fruits were long and thick. The cultivars ‘ITC0680’, ‘Gros Michel’, ‘Prata’ and ‘Yangambi Km5’ had the next best agronomic performance, while the cultivars ‘Ikigurube’ and ‘Kamaramasenge’ had the poorest performance. The high agronomic performance of ‘FHIA-17’ shown in this research demonstrates how its increased cultivation may help to ensure the continued production of dessert types of bananas in Burundi and the food and income security of the population.