Abstract:
The distribution of newly released bean seed is often a weak link in the technology transfer
process. To assist national commodity programs to devise cost-effective delivery systems,
research was conducted in Uganda to test the appropriateness of bean seed distribution through
four non-conventional channels: rural shops, a rural health clinic, women's groups and an NGO.
The findings confirm the feasibility of distributing seed packets through market and non-market
channels and show that each delivery system has advantages and disadvantages which must be
assessed by seed suppliers in a country-specific context. The paper offers guidelines for the
distribution of new bean varieties by formal institutions.