COMMON BEANS (Phaseolus Vulgaris) RESEARCH IN TANZANIA

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plays a paramount role in the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Tanzania; as a food security crop and source of income.  Both the cultivated area and bean production level has increased over the years since 1995. The upward trend can be attributable to research efforts by National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in collaboration with CIAT/PABRA which have resulted in identification and development of several improved bean varieties tolerant to environmental stresses. This has increased bean productivity from 0.5 MT/Ha in 1974 to 1.4 t/ha in 2021 (FAOSTAT, 2022).

However, bean production in the country is limited by several biotic and non-biotic constraints. Major constraints include, genetically low yielding varieties, diseases, insect pests and poor soil fertility, especially low soil nitrogen and phosphorus. In view of both the diversity of the constraints and the fact that common bean is largely a “resource -poor farmer’s crop”; development and dissemination of improved bean genotypes is the most viable option for promoting bean productivity in Tanzania.

Frequent droughts in most East and Central African countries have led to food shortages, malnutrition, social instability and reliance on food aid (IGAD, 2007). This scenario has underscored the need for improved crop varieties and associated technologies which assure farmers of a reasonable harvest in rapidly changing production environments.

Due to high demand for beans, partly as a result of rapid population growth, its demand has outstripped supply, with some countries in the region becoming net bean importers. The overall objective for the bean research Programme is to contribute to the attainment of sustainable food self-sufficient at household and national level, increase income generation, employment growth and enhanced earnings through the development and dissemination of appropriate and environmentally friendly technologies.

COMMON BEANS (Phaseolus Vulgaris) VARIETIES RELEASED IN TANZANIA

 The bean research program under the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) has released high productive, multiple tolerant and nutrient dense common bean varieties. This catalogue gives a description of 41 released bean varieties among them six (6) are climbing types and 35 bush types. For each variety, the catalogue provides identification, morphological and agronomic characteristics, and recommended production areas.

Goats have a key role in ensuring food security and economic livelihood to smallholder farmers in rural areas. Women play a vital role in goat rearing, promoting economic autonomy within households. Indigenous goats dominate and are of high significance due to their adaptive traits that are relevant for climate change and low maintenance. However, lack of emphasis on farmer-centered technology development and proper breed characterization remains a hitch to sustainable utilization and breed development of indigenous goats. This can be overcome through proper linkage between market and production, workable regional and national agricultural policies, community breeding programs, collaborative research work within the region, and consistent government support.

This documnet is about Sex of calf and age of dam adjustment factors for birth and weaning weight in  Tswana and Composite beef cattle breeds in Botswana 

This document looks at the Impact of Genetic Selection for Increased Cattle Resistance to Bovine Tuberculosis on Disease Transmission Dynamics

This document looks at Genomic regions underlying susceptibility to bovine tuberculosis in Holstein-Friesian cattle

This document is about the Genome‐wide association identify regions  underlying bovine tuberculosis resistance in  dairy cattle

The compendium is a compilation of stories about project activities (research and development, agricultural extension, trainings, project management and monitoring) implemented under APPSA Lesotho. It is the mandate of the Communication Working Group (CWG) to manage project communication and technology dissemination for visibility and awareness, knowledge sharing and collaboration among stakeholders. The roles of Technology Dissemination Office; and Information Technology and Knowledge Management are responsible for ensuring the functionality and delivery of the objectives of the CWG.

The Government of Mozambique will invest around US$50 million in agricultural research over the next three years. This feat was announced by His Excellency Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique in his opening speech of the First Agricultural Research Symposium held in KaTembe, Municipality of Maputo, from 31 August to 1 September 2022. The investment aims to stimulate and improve agricultural research in Mozambique through the improvement and operation of research and vaccine production laboratories, reinforcement of the multiplication of pre-basic and basic seeds, support in the operationalization of the Rice Research and Leadership Center and impact assessments of agricultural production.

The Resilient Agriculture and Market Activities Project in the Beira Corridor (RAMA_BC) in partnership with the Centro Zonal Centro (CZC) of the Institute of Agricultural Research of Mozambique (IIAM) has been introducing and promoting various practices of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) aimed at reducing the vulnerability of small producers and dealing with climate change and its impact.

This presentation gives an Overview of CAADP/Malabo Declaration Implementation in Botswana