Rationale
The increasing contribution of beans to farmers' income and household food security, and to national and regional economies in PABRA region, coupled with highly appreciated and newly developed varieties and with increasing differentiated consumers demands have encouraged differentiated bean seed demand in relation to specific varieties and seed channels. However, many farmers still have inadequate access to quality seeds of improved varieties of their choices to respond to emerging agro-ecological trends, food security and market demands. The growing involvement of commercial seed sector in the bean seed marketing is still inadequate with regard to quantity of seed supplied. For instance in 2004, their annual bean seed supply was estimated at about 1% at across the region.

Furthermore, the sector focuses only on already popular bean varieties thus narrowing farmers' choices and/or exposure to new improved bean varieties more often responding to agro-ecological and market niches. Therefore, in the PABRA-Africa region, the majority of farmers mainly obtain information and their bean seeds from local seed systems (farmer saved seeds, seed from other farmers and local seed traders). However this sector is inadequately linking to research products including improved bean varieties. Thus targeted support services to both local and commercial seed channels greatly improve the access to quality seeds of improved bean varieties to farmers and ultimately improve farmers' living conditions.

Methodological approach
This initiative requires a committed partnership among a range of service providers offering complimentary services e.g. National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs), government seed regulatory bodies, development agencies (government and non government), seed traders, farmers/community based organisations, local farmer seed producers. The services offered by partners range from a sustained farmers and extension agents' awareness raising about any promising technological options (seeds and non-seeds), enhancing knowledge and skills on seed systems, improving pre and post harvest crop management. This is done through regular interactive sessions such training and reviews/adjustments, targeted development and dissemination of diversified tools and approaches including development and/or translation of resource manuals in local language, promotional and training materials, field days, radio talks, agricultural shows etc.

Progress towards achieving output milestones
Preliminary results of this alternative approach across the PABRA region are encouraging and similar efforts across crops are being initiated:

• There was a significant increase in number and diversity of partners for bean research and development in the PABRA region particularly in support of decentralized seed systems. Two hundred and sixty-two new and existing partners improved their linkages with partner NARIs. Formalization of working relationships among partners was often done through memorandum of understanding specifying each partner roles and responsibilities.
• As result of partners' synergy, in 2004, 31,800 copies of promotion materials were produced with an estimated reach of 100, 000 farmers. Bean seed resource manuals were developed and/or translated in seven local languages.
• As result of enhanced partnerships, enhanced awareness about improved varieties coupled with actors skills and knowledge enhancement, local and commercial seed producers produced and availed about 12,000 m tones of assorted bean varieties to about 2.5 million farmers in PABRA region, a result beyond the planned targeted.

Conclusion

• Partnership development; a key to wider utilization and enhanced accessibility of improved bean based technologies to large number of farmers but also to a wide socio-economic and geographic reach because of varied operational and institutional objectives of partners in PABRA region e.g. charity organisations, market led initiatives etc.

PABRA, Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 6247, Kampala, Uganda
Tel +256-414-567670, fax +256-414-567635, email r.buruchara@cgiar.org

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