Road-show campaigns to promote iron-rich beans for nutrition concluded on Saturday in Gasabo District, with a call on urban folks to include the beans on their menu. 

Speaking at the closing of the campaign that started in September, Jean Jacques Mbonigaba Muhinda, the director-general of Rwanda Agriculture Board (Rab), said iron-rich beans prevent malnutrition, stunting, anemia and stimulate growth.

"Pregnant women and children fall victim of anemia due to lack of iron and zinc, which are present in iron-rich beans,” he said.

Anaemia is a decrease in the amount of red blood cells or a lowered ability of the blood to carry oxygen.

Muhinda urged the youth who attended the road show to sensitise their parents on the importance of such beans to their health.

He said Rab and HarvestPlus are collaborating to ensure farmers get iron-rich beans seeds for free.

The campaign was part of the wider programme to promote nutrition.

The biofortified iron-rich beans are also more productive than ordinary ones, Lister Tiwirai Katsvairo, country manger of HarvestPlus, said, adding that the best farming practices are needed to ensure good yields.

"For ordinary beans, the harvest is about 2.5 tonnes per hectare, while the harvest goes to four tonnes for iron-rich beans. We work with Rab agriculture extension workers to coach farmers on best agronomic practices including planting in lines, right application of fertilisers, among others, for better produce,” Katsvairo said.

Anaemia burden

He said anaemia has been a big problem in the country but it is being controlled thanks to the consumption of iron-rich beans.

"About 33 per cent or a third of Rwandans were suffering from anemia seven years ago, but the severity of the problem is decreasing as people are having iron-rich beans in their diet,” Katsvairo said.

"About 700,000 Rwandan households are growing or eating iron-rich beans but we need this programme to reach every Rwandan.”

Antoine Nemeyabahizi, a first-year student at the University of Rwanda’s College of Education, who attended the road show, said many people seldom have beans on their menu.

"They prefer fortified foods without knowing the importance of beans in the body. I like beans as they have iron that helps regulate blood coagulation and strengthens the body,” Nemeyabahizi said.

More awareness

However, there is still need for more awareness campaigns to make people understand the role of beans in nutrition.

A kilogramme of iron-rich beans costs Rwf400 on the market.

The road show was spiced up by artistes, including King James, Tom Close, Miss Jojo and Rider Man, who reiterated the importance of iron-rich beans to health as they performed.

Both Rab and HarvestPlus believe that artistes can influence an impactful dissemination of messages intended to educate the public on good health.

The campaign was previously held in Nyanza, Rusizi, Kirehe and Nyagatare districts where people were sensitised to grow and consume nutritious beans for a better health.

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