Project Outputs Year 2004

Methodology

 

These will be given according to the activities carried out.

 

1.  Identification and selection of beneficiaries and type of farmers

 

As an initial step, meetings were held with representatives of all partners and stakeholders at the district level to select the most severely affected sub counties and to get a consensus on subsequent plan of activities as regards root rots in the districts.  Later meetings were held at sub-county and parish levels.  At the sub-county the parishes where the project would be implemented were selected.  While at the parish farmers themselves selected the fellow farmers or groups to be availed seed for multiplication or demonstration.  The farmers and groups selected must be willing to participate and should be active bean growers in the area.

 

2. Accelerated multiplication and distribution of root rot resistant bean varieties

 

Multiplication was both on-station (at NAARI and Kachwekano ARDC) and on-farms.  The strategy of availing seed for on-farm multiplication involved both individuals and farmer groups (Both women and mixed).  A seed loan system was used where a contract was signed with the individuals or groups.  The contract stated that at harvest the individual (or group) loaned will give back to the extension staff twice the amount of seed they are given.  The farmers were selected during the sensitization workshops.  The amount loaned varied from 0.5 kg (for individuals) to 5 kg (groups).

 

3. Demonstration on integrated options

 

The aim of setting up the demonstrations was to show the farmers that the technologies being introduced can actually control the bean root rots.  These were set up in the selected parishes in the two districts.  The sites were selected by farmers in each parish in a participatory manner.  The demonstrations set up were of two types namely varieties and soil and crop management.

 

4. Farmer Field Schools (FFS)

 

FFS is one way of reaching farmers through self-teaching by using objectives and weekly sessions in which farmers have opportunities to recognize factors that affect their crops.  They learn through exercises based on self-discovery.  A Curriculum following the growth stages of the bean crop was developed.  The weekly sessions were facilitated by Africare and they were only implemented in Muroro sub-county in Kisoro districts.  In the FFS the farmers were trained on all aspects of bean root rot, its causes, spread, control.  They learnt how to differentiate root rots from bean stem maggots and other bean diseases.   On completion of the FFS the farmers should be able pass over this knowledge to other farmers.

 

5. The training of extension staff, local opinion leaders and farmers

 

Training was done at district sub-county and parish levels.  The courses were intended to give technical and practical knowledge on improved bean production but more specifically control of pests and diseases with special focus on root rots.

 

Participants at the district included political leaders, Agricultural extension staff, representatives of NGO’s, community based organizations, farmers groups, women groups and farmers association.  At the sub-county level field extension workers, local parish workers and farmers were trained.  The facilitators at the district were researchers from NAARI; while at the sub-county both scientists and district extension staff facilitated the training.

 

6. Sensitization workshops

 

These were at 3 levels i.e. District sub-county and parish.  The sensitization was intended to educate all stakeholders on the importance of the bean root rots and the activities being initiated to help control the disease.

 

In all the activities that were implemented the participation of all stakeholders was participatory i.e. All partners participated in the sensitization, field days, group discussion.  Emphasis was on participation of both men and women.  Timing of meetings was with consultation of all the stakeholders.  This was to enable women, who are involved in the other roles at home to attend.

 

Achievements

 

These will be given according to activities

 

Accelerated multiplication and distribution of root rot resistant varieties in Kisoro and Bushenyi districts.

 

a)  On-station multiplication

 

Varieties known to be resistant to bean root rots were multiplied at Namulonge Research Institute  (NAARI) and Kachwekano Agricultural Research and Development Centre for four seasons starting from first season 2003 (2003A; April-June).  Those included NABE 12c (Sugar 31) RWR 2075, RWR 1946, RWR 1873, RWR 719, MLB 49-89a, RWR 1092, NABE 7C, 8C, 9C, 10C and K132.  In addition twenty-four lines (BACO and BAO) lines selected by farmers in Kabale from the collaborative (NARO/CIAT/NRI) root rot project funded by DFID were planted at NARI for multiplication. 

 

The area planted at NAARI and Kachwekano, the total bean yield harvested are given in Table 1 below.  A total of 39 ha (thirty nine hectares) of seed have been multiplied at NAARI and Kachwekano.  The total seed yield so far obtained is 12,595 kg. This is far below what was expected.  The yield has been affected by the drought that hit the crop both in 2003B, 2004A and 2004B.  The drought was more severe in 2004A.

 

Table 1. Acreage and clean yield (aggregate of bean varieties planted for multiplication at NAARI and Kachwekano during season 2003A, 2003B, 2003 and 2003.

 

 

N.B:    

*  Yields have been very low because the crop has been affected by severe drought especially in 2004A.

**  2003Aand 2004A refers March – June 2003 and 2004

***  2003B and 2004B refers to September – December 2003

**** Yield of 2004B have not yet been established since harvesting is not completed.

 

b) Distribution and on-farm multiplication of Root rot resistant varieties

 

The number of farmers who received seed direct from the project was 293, 2,213 and 5324 in 2003B, 2004A and 2004B.  This number does not include those given seed by fellow farmers who had been loaned seed.  In most cases the number of women was higher than men.  Table 2 and 3 show the number of those who received seed by gender.

 

There was a problem in recovery seed from those loaned.  Some farmers were hesitant to give back the seed as the contract stated.  In most cases there was no 100% recovery from any sub county.  Table 4 shows recovery of seed from loan scheme at the end of 2003 B.  The multiplication rate has been reported to be up to twenty times.

 

Table 2: Participants in the seed multiplication through a seed loan scheme in 2003B.

District	Sub-county	Individuals		Total	Groups
Kisoro		Men	Women		Number	Men	Women
	Murora	10	18	28
	Nyakabande	13	19	32	6	9	133
	Sub total	23	37	60	6	9	133
Bushenyi	Nyabubare	41	22	63
	Kigarama	26	11	37
	Sub-total	67	33	100
	Total	90	70	160	6	9	293

¹ the six groups were in Nyakabande and these were predominantly women groups.  Only nine men were in one group.

 

Table 3:  Participation in the seed multiplication through a seed loaned scheme in 2004A

District	Sub-county	Parish	Individuals		Total	Groups
Kisoro	Nyakabande	Gasiza	101	142	243
		Gisorora