The Eastern and Central Africa Bean Research Network (ECABREN) is a network affiliated to the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA). It brings together African universities, NGOs, and the private sector as well as government research and development (R&D) institutions to share bean germplasm and information and expertise in the area of bean breeding and dissemination. Resulting from the merger of two sub-regional networks that struggled since mid 80's to overcome production constraints, ECABREN shifted its focus from production to market driven research in early 1998, to satisfy increasing end users' demand for marketable bean varieties. Market characterisation in the member countries of the ASARECA region led to the identification of nine bean types or major market classes on which a regionally co-ordinated breeding strategy programme was established in late 2000. Seven breeding programmes were created with each coordinated by a national agricultural research institute (NARI) with comparative advantage. The development of each market class involves examination of the properties of each new bean variety with farmers using multidisciplinary and participatory approaches. The Network also supports activities in other critical areas where cross-country collaboration and/or specialisation are seen to lead to more cost-effective research and development.

SEE ALSO | ECABREN achievements | ECABREN team

As well as coordinating regional bean trials, sharing released improved bean varieties (contributed by some NARS breeding programmes, the private sector, ECABREN and CIAT) among different countries and supporting emerging national breeding programmes, ECABREN is working to strengthen national capacity in this sector in the region. It identifies, develops and deploys national expertise in a range of areas such as plant breeding, farmer participatory research, seed dissemination, agroenterprise development, and integrated pest and disease management (IPDM).

ECABREN has identified and prioritised major research-for-development themes and sub-themes in the bean sector. Major Research Product lines identified in 2004 include:

  • Beans for food and health
  • Beans that respond to market opportunities for income generation (domestic and export markets), which include navy beans (small and large white), snap bean and sugar beans.

This approach will enhance sustainable bean production, increase efficiency in bean market and ultimately contribute to the reduction of malnourishment and hunger, prevention of the nutritional health related problems through increased consumption of fibre-, protein-, iron- and zinc-rich beans and improvement in the export of high quality beans that meet international grades and standards.

ECABREN strives to incorporate the following elements in its work in the region:

  • Demand driven research: bean technologies are selected and tested in participatory manner to satisfy end user's needs.
  • Regionally coordinated programmes add value and increase the efficiency of NARIs' efforts to avail technologies and innovations for use by a wider range of end users.
  • A multidisciplinary team approach is advocated for availing sustainable technologies and innovations for use by stakeholders.
  • Competitiveness: our technologies and products are adding value and becoming competitive in an environment where institutional competitiveness is also becoming important.
  • Partnership: a crucial element for creating wider social and economic impact on people of the region throughout technology development, dissemination and promotion processes.
  • Capacity building: in strengthening institutional capacity of research and development partners, and empowering farmers/partners to become managers of their own resources.
  • Collective responsibility and transparency: regional steering committee composed of stakeholders who are accountable and share in a transparent manner equal responsibilities in decision-making.

ECABREN has been funded in the past years by USAID and received complementary funding from CIDA and SDC for its research-for-development activities. Scientific partners include CIAT.

The nine participating countries are: Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

OUR GOAL

Increased economic growth and improved livelihoods in the Eastern and Central Africa (ECA) region while enhancing the quality of the environment.

OUR PURPOSE

Increased sustainable productivity, value added, and competitiveness of the regional bean sub-sector through availability and utilisation of demand-driven bean based technologies.

OUR RESULTS

  • Demand driven bean technologies/ innovations generated and made available for uptake.
  • Regional and national policy options for enhancing bean sub-sector facilitated.
  • Regional and national capacity for IAR4D in bean sub-sector strengthened.
  • Availability of information on bean research and development enhanced.

OUR AIMS/STRATEGIES

  • Select, test and disseminate marketable bean varieties of bush and climbing beans that improve food and health and address the region's local and export markets.
  • Test and disseminate improved agronomic practices for the management of soil and water for increased and lower-cost production of marketable bean varieties.
  • Refine and distribute post-harvest technologies, to add value and expand bean markets.
  • Package and disseminate effective integrated pest management (IPM) options for the major pests and diseases of marketable bean varieties.
  • Work with multiple partners to improve the availability and accessibility of good quality seed of improved and preferred marketable bean varieties.
  • Work with partners to make promotional materials and information more widely available in member countries for increased use of bean-based technologies.
  • Strengthen human and physical capacity of partners to innovate and to undertake research and development activities in their institutions.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Mukishi M. Pyndji
ECABREN Coordinator
CIAT/ECAREN
Selian Agricultural Research Institute
Dodoma Road, P.O. Box 2704
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255-27-2508557
Fax: +255-27-2508557
E-mail: m.pyndji@cgiar.org

ECABREN, Selian Agricultural Research Institute, Dodoma Road, P.O. Box 2704, Arusha, Tanzania
Tel +255-27-2508557, fax +255-27-2508557, email m.pyndji@cgiar.org

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ECABREN's purpose is to increase sustainable productivity, value added, and competitiveness of the regional bean sub-sector through availability and utilisation of demand-driven bean based technologies.