Mystery Gorilla Foundation

  - Growing Beans in Uganda - Beans are one of the easiest of vegetables to grow, and one of the first that I ever saved seeds from. One of the first things to think about is whether the variety you're growing is a bush or pole (climbing) bean… bush varieties grow into knee high plants and tend to bear all their pods at once, whereas pole varieties need poles or netting and can climb to 8 feet or more while producing gradually for months. The other two categories to consider are dry beans vs. snap beans… snaps are eaten fresh while dry beans are allowed to fully mature into protein rich beans. All these different types are still the same species though, Phaseolus vulgaris is a broad species! I always direct sow beans, beginning in early March (season A) here in Isingiro, but they can be planted as late as September (season B) for early maturing bush varieties. I like planting in rows, with bush bean seeds spaced 3-4 inches apart in the row, and pole bean seeds a bit further apart ...

The common dry bean is an important crop grown and consumed throughout Uganda, where it plays a very significant role in the livelihoods of many resource-poor farm households. It is a major source of food and income for the rural smallholder farmers, especially women and children, and individuals involved in its retail trade at both national and regional level. The fact that beans are produced in every district not only shows the dependence on them as a major food security crop, but also their importance in the farmers’ household economy. However, its production is being hindered currently by changes in climate. Beans normally flourish well in temperature ranging from 18-26oC, however, temperatures are getting warmer in some areas and colder in other parts of Uganda. As a result, researchers are developing bean varieties that can withstand heat and cold stresses. In 2016, Uganda’s bean crop experienced some heat stress in a few seasons when the surface temperature shot up to between 2...