Abstract:

The need for smallholder farmers to understand the benefits and value of growing pure quality bean variety seeds instigated from seed status survey analysis. The analysis highlighted farmer’s lack of knowledge and access to improved seed varieties and absence of Seed companies in the Teso-Karamoja sub-region. The situation left farmers with
no choice but growing farm-saved seed recycled from subsequent cropping seasons. Farmers were therefore involved in participatory evaluation of 10 improved bean varieties obtained from NaCRRI, to identify adaptable varieties that posses farmer desired attributes for seed and food production. A research-farmer participatory process for
evaluating bean varieties was therefore carried out to: Equip farmers with knowledge of producing and maintaining good quality seeds; Identify varieties with desired traits and adaptable to the local dry mid-altitude environment; Create awareness and popularizing the existence and demand of improved bean seeds. Achieved results indicated
thatmost varieties were highly affected by drought, however, variety Nabe15 and Nabe4 performed exceptionally well inmaturity periods with relative yield of 1.32 and 1.29 MT Ha-1 respectively. Both varieties expressed traits for resistance to diseases and were selected for seed production in the semi-arid region of Teso-Karamoja sub-region.