Nodes of Growth:

Improving legume

seed networks in

Kenya

Nodes of Growth: Improving

legume seed networks in Kenya

• Background

• Objectives

• Approach

–Products

–Partners

• Future

Background

• Tropical Legumes II project: seed systems objective

• Ethiopia and Kenya

• Drought-prone areas

• Two million farmers increased access to improved and preferred bean varieties in target sites and beyond

• 750,000 small-holder farmers targeted in Kenya

Elevation:

1800m

Rainfall:

800mm

Uni-modal

Elevation:

1300m

Rainfall:

850mm

Bimodal

Background

• Seeds produced by private sector

companies and community based

multipliers

• Distributed by NGO in small packs

• Questions:

1. Where are the seeds going

2. Do farmers know where to obtain seeds

3. How well are the improved seeds

adapted to these environments

Objective

• Ensure that more small-holder

producers are included in the ‘last ten

kilometres’

Approach

• Adoption of drought-tolerant

varieties depends on:

1. Sufficient seed stocks

2. Outlets of appropriate improved seeds

3. Access to outlets

4. Well-informed small-holder farmers

5. Demand for seed

6. Resources to buy seed

Approach

CIAT-TSBF/CNFA

Optimisation of input

stockists in Malawi

Objective: 80% of

population within 1 hour

of stockists

Activities

• 1. Data collection of locations of existing seed outlets, road network and target population in Kenya

• 2. Analysis of current accessibility to seed outlets

• 3. Recommendations on location of future potential outlet locations

• 4. Dissemination of maps to producers via NGOs and extension service

• 5. Feasibility study for disseminating seed information via mobile phones

1. Data Collection - Roads

1. Data Collection - Outlets

• Farm Input Promotions (FIPS) Africa Ltd.

• Leldet seeds Ltd.

• DSL Seeds Ltd.

• Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute

2. Analysis of access to seed

3. Recommendations

4. Dissemination FIPS-Africa

• 2 User groups– Researchers and seed suppliers

– Small-holder farmers

• Limited to areas where there is demand for improved varieties (e.g. Kirinyaga & Makueni)

• Existing dissemination materials

• Potentially easy to adapt

• Seek agreement/options on content

• Multiple dissemination channels

• e.g. 1-2 development workers + 15 field assistants per district

The Katumani bean (KB - 9) is early-maturing (60 days), high-yielding, sweet-tasting and quick

to cook. It is rapidly gaining popularity amongst farmers in Nzaui district.

Farm Input Promotions Africa; 08.06.2005Farm Input Promotions Africa; 05.07.2005Farm Input Promotions Africa; 07.06.2005

Katumani bean (KB-9) Local variety

The KB-9 bean is available in small 100 g packs for only KSh 10! Ask for seeds from your local agro-dealer!

Harvest More Beans with Katumani Bean (KB - 9) from Leldet Ltd.

Kilome agro-

dealers

Kasikeu

stockists

MK

Ltd

Wote

inputs ltd

Where to get KB9 in Nzaui district

5. Mobile phones - Grameen

• Feasibility study

– Inclusivity

– Effectiveness

– Sustainability

• Two-way communication

• Business model

• Technical model for managing

location specific information

Future

• Scale-out

– Kenya

– Ethiopia

– Other legumes in SSA

• Implementation of mobile

dissemination and feedback