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Nakuru County, KALRO to train 15,000 farmers on ‘Nyota’ bean farming
Nakuru County government, in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) is training over 15000 farmers on proper agronomical practices in farming of a high-yielding and disease-resistant “Nyota” bean seed variety with an eye on the export market.
Agriculture Chief Officer Mr Newton Mwaura said the venture, which is also being supported by International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), targets to help the bean farmers drawn from Njoro, Subukia, Rongai, Bahati and Gilgil Sub-Counties tap into regional and international markets by training them on the mandatory standards their produce is expected to meet in the European Union (EU) and other export markets.
The training is being carried out through the ‘Enhancing Climate Change Resilience in East Africa’ (ECREA) Project, which is an initiative aimed at improving the resilience of Kenyan farmers, particularly bean producers, to the impacts of climate change by providing them with better access to weather and climate information services (WCIS) through collaborations with research institutions and meteorological services in the region.
The initiative primarily focuses on enhancing the adaptive capacity of East African countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda to extreme weather events and climate change. It is spearheaded by the Climate Action lever of the Alliance of Biodiversity International and CIAT through the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA).
Mwaura explained that the agricultural officers and lead farmers from the five sub-counties were being trained on catalyzing the use of weather and agricultural practices to improve high iron bean productivity to help minimize rejection of bean grain by off-takers and processors and ensuring farmers offer quality Nyota bean grain locally, even in schools.
He said adoption of high yielding and disease resistance of the Nyota bean seed variety was crucial in enabling bean farmers to harvest quality produce that could access international markets.
The chief officer explained that the Nyota bean variety was fast maturing and richer in nutrients and also took between 20 and 30 minutes to cook compared to the traditional variety, adding that the red-mottled group bean stands out for its fast maturity and adaptability to varying climates, making it a valuable choice for farmers.
Mwaura said participants in the training were being enlightened on compliance with applicable laws and regulations to tap into local, regional and export markets.
He said the bean variety, which has high iron and zinc content, prevents stunted growth in children, boosts body immunity and has the potential of growing the country’s horticultural world market share.
The Chief Officer noted that though a significant proportion of young farmers in the county were eyeing international markets, most were unaware of post-harvest treatment requirements and standards set by the EU and other marketing agencies.
“We have been talking to farmers on the appropriate methods to use in order to contain the presence of quarantine pests and diseases in their produce to protect and grow our European market,” he affirmed.
The bean variety, he said, was also a rich source of essential proteins which would lead to a healthy populace and was resistant to the vagaries of pest attacks and climate change.
The chief officer said the collaboration between the county government, research institutions and other players was aimed at increasing rural households’ farming incomes by empowering youth and women with technical skills to venture into bean farming and improving the country’s food security and nutrition situation.
He noted that micronutrient deficiencies remained unacceptably high in Kenya, citing zinc deficiency, which he said affects the entire population but was highest among children aged 6–59 months, at 83 percent, with no significant difference between boys and girls. Anaemia and iron deficiency, he added, were higher among children under 5 and pregnant women and other women aged 15–49.
According to statistics from Nakuru’s Department of Health, of the 275,921 children under five years living in the county, an estimated 27.9 percent are stunted, way above the national level of 26 percent; a further 5 percent are wasted, while 10.2 percent are underweight.
Though highly nutritious, the Chief Officer expressed concern that bean consumption in the country still remained low, with an average Kenyan consuming between 50 and 60 kilograms per year. He attributed the low consumption to the tedious and long process of preparing bean meals.
Nyota, Swahili for “star,” was developed by KARLO Katumani and released for national trials and commercialization in 2017. It has proven to thrive in both hot, dry regions and cold, dry highlands, offering farmers versatility.
The seed was developed after scientists and breeders conducted tests on 47 bean varieties in Kenya and Uganda to determine the most suitable ones before they narrowed down to 4 varieties in Kenya and 8 from Uganda.
KALRO aims at establishing a bean corridor across the country, encouraging farmers with half an acre of land and above to participate.
KALRO estimates that bean consumption in the country will double this year and that the Nyota variety already meets the micronutrient levels of zinc and iron crucial for immunity and blood supply.
To ensure consistent supply, KARLO is exploring the creation of a bean value chain, allowing farmers to supply processors who can combine bean powder into consumable products like noodles.
A 2022 report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics reveals nutritional challenges, with 18 percent of children under the age of five experiencing stunted growth and 42 percent of pregnant women suffering from anaemia.