Biotech Updates

Cameroon Settles on New Bean Varieties

April 3, 2013

Farmers in Cameroon are growing new varieties of beans that are providing up to three times the yields of traditional crops, which have been under attack from pests and disease as well as adverse weather patterns.

Seven varieties of hardier and more nutritious beans are now being distributed to farmers, following extensive trials by the country's Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD).

The bean varieties were selected from hundreds given to Cameroon by the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), a multi-agency initiative that coordinates research on the continent. Trials and selection of varieties were conducted at the institute and by farmers from 2006 to 2012.

See original story from by SCIDEV at http://www.scidev.net/en/sub-suharan-africa/news/cameroon-settles-on-new-bean-varieties.html.