Rwanda takes nutrition security seriously. In recent years, the country’s efforts to increase dietary diversification and improve livelihoods have resulted in lower percentages of wasted, stunted, and underweight children. One of the most successful initiatives has focused on improving the nutritional content of beans through bio-fortification.

Beans are cultivated widely across Rwanda and they are the main staple food in the country, providing households with 32% of required calories and 65% of protein. For these reasons, they have been promoted as priority crops under the Government Crop Intensification Programme (CIP), which aims to improve agricultural productivity and food security in the country.

Iron- and zinc-rich beans are sustainable, inexpensive, and cost-effective healthy foods for people of all incomes. A series of studies by CGIAR found that daily consumption of iron-rich beans has helped increase iron levels among Rwandan women of reproductive age, improved their physical performance, and contributed to better memory and attention span in only six months.

A success story for climate adaptation and nutrition

For the past decade, the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) has worked with partners and invested over 5 million USD to identify and develop new high yielding bean varieties rich in iron and zinc. Since 2010, over 45 new varieties have been released in the country, including 18 bio-fortified bean varieties.

This is also a result of a longstanding partnership with the Pan Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), a multi-stakeholder bean research network including National Agricultural Research Systems and international institutions that was established in 1996 to improve bean productivity, use, and commercialization for the rural poor and urban population.

So far, PABRA member countries have developed and released 726 bean varieties that are marketable, climate-resilient, and high-yielding. These varieties have been made available to 37 million households in 31 African countries including Rwanda, contributing to increased food security across the region. These improved varieties are not only rich in iron and zinc, but also have traits such as tolerance to droughts, pests, diseases, and high market demand. Some of these varieties can withstand temperature increases of up to 4 degrees Celsius.

By 2018, 20% of the beans produced in Rwanda were varieties high in iron and 15% of the population – 1.8 out of 12.4 million people – had started eating them. Farmers cultivating improved varieties rich in iron content saw an increase in yields of about 22% more compared to other beans and could make an additional US$57–78 of profit per hectare.

Through PABRA, Rwanda has become a major player in the development and dissemination of climbing beans across the African continent. These beans can yield up to three times more than bush beans and could satisfy both growing domestic demand and export trade.

Looking ahead

Rampant population growth and increased urbanization will lead to a considerable increase in food demand in Africa and worldwide over the next two decades. The successes recorded in Rwanda and across Africa show that beans can help us to adapt and respond to the climate crisis while pursuing the eradication of hunger.

With 828 million people still suffering from hunger in 2021, according to the 2022 report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, governments, national research institutions, and international organisations need to act swiftly to ensure that more sustainable, nutritious, and affordable food is available to all.

It is critically important to invest in scaling up production and consumption of nutritious and climate-smart bean varieties to meet a growing demand of food and support farmers’ livelihoods. Creating the right market incentives for farmers to produce more beans varieties, such as including them in the public procurement and school meal programmes can increase quality seed use and bean productivity. Raising awareness among consumers, especially younger generations, on nutritional benefits of beans can also create a domestic market for beans and improve nutritional outcomes.

As a major event ahead of the 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2022, taking place in Rwanda from 5 to 9 September, represents a unique opportunity to start a discussion with countries, private sector, international organisations and farmers, around beans as an innovative solution to the climate and hunger crisis, in Africa and beyond.

Our hope is that many of us will come out of the Summit inspired and motivated to build a global coalition to boost bean production and consumption in the next eight years. 2030 is around the corner and most global development goals will not be met unless we massively increase our efforts to fight climate change and hunger. Beans are a simple, yet powerful resource to bring us back on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Gerardine Mukeshimana is Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources in Rwanda. Juan-Lucas Restrepo is Global Director for partnerships & advocacy at CGIAR, and Director General of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.