Economic analysis of traditional bean production in the highlands of Rwanda

The study described is significant because systematic, quantitative studies of the traditional bean production system have not been available previously, despite the fact that beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) have long been a crop of preeminent importance in Rwanda. The principal findings of this study are: (1) labor is used efficiently but returns at the margin are now critically low; (2) opportunities exist for major gains in productivity from soil amendments, especially phosphorous and lime; (3) bush beans can be preferable to higher-yielding pole beans in some circumstances, even when staking materials are plentiful; (4) management practices and economic performance are associated with altitude, distance of the farm plot from the rugo (main dwelling), and the type of bean field (i.e., pole bean or bush, intercropped or pure). (Author abstract)