Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : Development of sustainable bean value chains for smallholders to increase food security in Zimbabwe

Pays : Zimbabwe

Dates : Start date : 1 March 2015 // End date : 25 September 2020

Identification projet : NL-KVK-27378529-FDOV14ZW37

Programme : Facility for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Food Security (FDOV)

Présentation
Malnutrition in Zimbabwe is a challenge. More than one-quarter of all children (28%) are stunted. Dry beans are an important source of protein. The production and productivity of dry beans dropped seriously due to the decline in the agricultural sector during the first decade of the 2000s. This projects objective is to increase production, sales and consumption of dry beans in Zimbabwe, to reduce poverty and malnutrition of smallholder farmers and improve their food security and farm sustainability. The project focuses on sugar beans, which can be grown multiple times per annum as mixed or intercrop.

The project presents the following activities (building blocks) : * Development and release of high-yielding dry bean varieties via Single Seed Descent (SSD) selection in order to achieve maximum yield potential with pre-conditions regarding stress resistance. * Introduction of a model for seed multiplication and marketing of dry bean seeds. * Improvement of smallholders agricultural practices and knowledge and provision of market access to smallholder farmers, which enables them to increase dry bean production at a profit.

A farmer group of 5,000 farmers will be established and trained on good agricultural practices, financing, market linkages, and nutritional and agricultural benefits of dry beans.

Partenaire (s) : Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Company, Gebroeders Bakker Zaadteelt en Zaadhandel B.V., Seed Services Institute, Klein Karoo Seed Marketing, Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek

Budget Total : €1,175,932

Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)