Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe

Background Navy bean is an important legume crop in Zimbabwe. Although its production in Zimbabwe is limited by multiple constraints including biotic, abiotic and socio-economic, there is no documented evidence. Thus, this study aimed at identifying farmers’ production constraints, preferred traits...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Mutari, Bruce, Sibiya, Julia, Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh, Simango, Kennedy, Gasura, Edmore
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Springer 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/113038
_version_ 1855520155788902400
author Mutari, Bruce
Sibiya, Julia
Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
Simango, Kennedy
Gasura, Edmore
author_browse Gasura, Edmore
Mutari, Bruce
Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
Sibiya, Julia
Simango, Kennedy
author_facet Mutari, Bruce
Sibiya, Julia
Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
Simango, Kennedy
Gasura, Edmore
author_sort Mutari, Bruce
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Background Navy bean is an important legume crop in Zimbabwe. Although its production in Zimbabwe is limited by multiple constraints including biotic, abiotic and socio-economic, there is no documented evidence. Thus, this study aimed at identifying farmers’ production constraints, preferred traits and cultivars of navy bean, and strategies used to mitigate some of these constraints. Methods A Participatory Rural Appraisal approach involving transect walks, focus group discussions (FGDs), and formal surveys with semi-structured questionnaires was conducted in four villages of the Lowveld region of Zimbabwe. In each of the four villages, two FGDs (one for men and one for women) were conducted. A total of 176 (75 males and 101 females) navy bean-growing households were interviewed. Data from household interviews and FGDs was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists computer package. Results The most important constraints to navy bean production were drought stress (Females—86%, Males—73%), heat stress (Females—58%, Males—55%), power outages (Females—46%, Males—54%), poor soil fertility (Females—32%; Males—33%) and susceptibility to pod shattering (Females—32%, Males—43%). Mitigation strategies included mulching (18%), ridges (12%), reduced acreage (11%), and cultivating to retain more soil moisture (11%) for drought stress, while irrigating at night (32%), and adjusting planting dates (29%) were used to manage heat stress. Farmer-preferred traits included tolerance to drought and heat, early maturing varieties and disease resistance. Marketing constraints included non-payment for produce in hard currency, lack of diversity in terms of off-takers, high inflation, low grain producer price, delayed payment and breach of contract by contractors. Conclusion There will be increased adoption of improved navy bean cultivars if breeding programs address the aforementioned constraints and consider farmer-preferred traits when developing new cultivars. Breeders should work closely with extension officers to ensure that cultivars released are cultivated with appropriate agronomic packages for increased productivity and high adoption.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace113038
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher Springer
publisherStr Springer
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1130382025-11-11T17:45:29Z Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe Mutari, Bruce Sibiya, Julia Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh Simango, Kennedy Gasura, Edmore kidney beans farmers' attitudes farming systems breeding methods actitudes de los agricultores sistemas de explotación métodos de mejoramiento genético complementary and alternative medicine Background Navy bean is an important legume crop in Zimbabwe. Although its production in Zimbabwe is limited by multiple constraints including biotic, abiotic and socio-economic, there is no documented evidence. Thus, this study aimed at identifying farmers’ production constraints, preferred traits and cultivars of navy bean, and strategies used to mitigate some of these constraints. Methods A Participatory Rural Appraisal approach involving transect walks, focus group discussions (FGDs), and formal surveys with semi-structured questionnaires was conducted in four villages of the Lowveld region of Zimbabwe. In each of the four villages, two FGDs (one for men and one for women) were conducted. A total of 176 (75 males and 101 females) navy bean-growing households were interviewed. Data from household interviews and FGDs was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists computer package. Results The most important constraints to navy bean production were drought stress (Females—86%, Males—73%), heat stress (Females—58%, Males—55%), power outages (Females—46%, Males—54%), poor soil fertility (Females—32%; Males—33%) and susceptibility to pod shattering (Females—32%, Males—43%). Mitigation strategies included mulching (18%), ridges (12%), reduced acreage (11%), and cultivating to retain more soil moisture (11%) for drought stress, while irrigating at night (32%), and adjusting planting dates (29%) were used to manage heat stress. Farmer-preferred traits included tolerance to drought and heat, early maturing varieties and disease resistance. Marketing constraints included non-payment for produce in hard currency, lack of diversity in terms of off-takers, high inflation, low grain producer price, delayed payment and breach of contract by contractors. Conclusion There will be increased adoption of improved navy bean cultivars if breeding programs address the aforementioned constraints and consider farmer-preferred traits when developing new cultivars. Breeders should work closely with extension officers to ensure that cultivars released are cultivated with appropriate agronomic packages for increased productivity and high adoption. 2021-12 2021-03-17T14:27:10Z 2021-03-17T14:27:10Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/113038 en Open Access application/pdf Springer Mutari, B.; Sibiya, J.; Nchanji, E.; Simango, K.; Gasura, E. (2021) Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 17:13. ISSN: 1746-4269
spellingShingle kidney beans
farmers' attitudes
farming systems
breeding methods
actitudes de los agricultores
sistemas de explotación
métodos de mejoramiento genético
complementary and alternative medicine
Mutari, Bruce
Sibiya, Julia
Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
Simango, Kennedy
Gasura, Edmore
Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe
title Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe
title_full Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe
title_fullStr Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe
title_full_unstemmed Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe
title_short Farmers’ perceptions of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production constraints, preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding: a case study from South East Lowveld region of Zimbabwe
title_sort farmers perceptions of navy bean phaseolus vulgaris l production constraints preferred traits and farming systems and their implications on bean breeding a case study from south east lowveld region of zimbabwe
topic kidney beans
farmers' attitudes
farming systems
breeding methods
actitudes de los agricultores
sistemas de explotación
métodos de mejoramiento genético
complementary and alternative medicine
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/113038
work_keys_str_mv AT mutaribruce farmersperceptionsofnavybeanphaseolusvulgarislproductionconstraintspreferredtraitsandfarmingsystemsandtheirimplicationsonbeanbreedingacasestudyfromsoutheastlowveldregionofzimbabwe
AT sibiyajulia farmersperceptionsofnavybeanphaseolusvulgarislproductionconstraintspreferredtraitsandfarmingsystemsandtheirimplicationsonbeanbreedingacasestudyfromsoutheastlowveldregionofzimbabwe
AT nchanjieileenbogweh farmersperceptionsofnavybeanphaseolusvulgarislproductionconstraintspreferredtraitsandfarmingsystemsandtheirimplicationsonbeanbreedingacasestudyfromsoutheastlowveldregionofzimbabwe
AT simangokennedy farmersperceptionsofnavybeanphaseolusvulgarislproductionconstraintspreferredtraitsandfarmingsystemsandtheirimplicationsonbeanbreedingacasestudyfromsoutheastlowveldregionofzimbabwe
AT gasuraedmore farmersperceptionsofnavybeanphaseolusvulgarislproductionconstraintspreferredtraitsandfarmingsystemsandtheirimplicationsonbeanbreedingacasestudyfromsoutheastlowveldregionofzimbabwe