Impacts of Improved Bean Varieties on Poverty and Food Security in Uganda and Rwanda

A major objective of crop genetic improvement research is to enhance the productivity and quality of food crops and contribute to poverty reduction and food security. The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an important subsistence crop for smallholding farmers in Rwanda and Uganda and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. In countries where consumption is high, beans are a mjor source of dietary protein and provide other nutrients such as iron. Rwanda has the highest per capita bean consumption in the world and consumption in Uganda is significant in areas where beans are part of the average diet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization 2009, bean consumption is about 29 kg per capita per year in Rwanda and 11 in Uganda.