Promoting Mucuna Beans Production for Soil Rehabilitation, Incomes, Food and Nutrition Security in Kenya

This is a review paper of promotion of Mucuna Pruriens beans in western Kenya (Bungoma, Kakamega and Siaya counties). Mucuna is a leguminous plant grown in tropical woodlands. It is an emerging multiple use legume with the potential to restore soil structure, used as animal feed, as well as food/nutrition security in households. Due to its many uses, it was promoted for adoption by farmers in western Kenya. Families in western part of Kenya were food insecure in terms of protein insufficiency, crop productivity was low due to infertile soils and had low incomes within households. The adoption of Mucuna growing would solve the mentioned problems. Farmers were mobilized to grow the beans, process for food and for sell to earn income. The maize yield intercropped with Mucuna doubled in subsequent years. Various recipes were developed, tasted and adopted. The raw beans and processed products earned household’s income which improved livelihoods. The Mucuna beans production was therefore recommended for soil rehabilitation, income generation and for food and nutrition security within households.

Keywords: Mucuna beans; Soil rehabilitation; Incomes; Food and nutrition security

Abbreviations: GIZ: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH; CA: Conservation Agriculture; GOPA: Gesellschaft für Organization, Planung and Ausbildung; WHH: Welt Hunge Hilife; KALRO: Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization