Iron deficiency remains a pressing public health issue in Kenya, affecting millions and limiting the potential of entire communities. To combat this, HarvestPlus Solutions (HPS) and CGIAR’s Portfolio Performance Unit (PPU) have joined forces to scale the distribution of iron beans across the country. This collaboration leverages HPS’s strong local presence and proven expertise in scaling biofortified crops and the Innovation Packages and Scaling Readiness (IPSR) approach developed by CGIAR and Wageningen University & Research. Together with key partners, their efforts aim to bring iron beans to more households across Kenya while improving economic, nutrition, and health outcomes.

HarvestPlus Solutions (HPS) is the implementation and scaling arm of HarvestPlus, focused on driving the commercialization of groundbreaking innovations from HarvestPlus and CGIAR, building strategic partnerships, and developing sustainable market systems.

The Challenge: Iron Deficiency in Kenya and the Role of Iron Beans

Iron deficiency affects nearly 30% of preschool children, 16.5% of school-age children, and more than 40% of pregnant women in Kenya. The consequences of iron deficiency are severe: anemia, impaired cognitive development in children, and increased maternal mortality. To address these issues, iron beans were introduced in 2017 by HarvestPlus and partners. These beans contain higher concentration iron and zinc compared to conventional varieties, making them a key intervention in the fight against micronutrient deficiencies. Kenya is the second-largest bean producer in East Africa, with more than 1.5 million smallholder farmers growing beans on about one million hectares of land. Despite this, the country faces a significant gap between bean grain production (600,000 metric tons annually) and consumption (755,000 metric tons). Iron beans offer a dual benefit by potentially closing the production gap while improving nutritional outcomes. However, despite demand, they currently account for just 5% of the total bean production in Kenya, largely due to limited awareness, seed availability inefficiencies in the supply chain, and market access issues.

HPS and CGIAR’s Strategic Collaboration

The collaboration between HPS and CGIAR leverages complementary strengths. HPS brings a solid local presence, market-driven expertise in sustainably scaling biofortified crops, and deep understanding of biofortified crop value chains. CGIAR’s IPSR methodology provides a science-based framework built on ‘Scaling Readiness’ to develop comprehensive strategies that ensure iron beans reach the most nutritionally vulnerable populations in Kenya. This integrated and highly participatory approach aims to maximize impact, build trust among key actors in the value chain, minimize risks, and promote evidence-based decision making.

Laying the Foundations for Scaling Iron Beans in Kenya

Earlier this year, HPS and the PPU co-hosted a workshop in Nairobi to set the groundwork for scaling iron beans in Kenya. The event brought together 24 representatives from research institutions, government agencies, private sector companies, and non-profits. Key participants included:

• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)/HarvestPlus: Representing research and development in biofortified crops.
• Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO): Providing technical expertise and data on local agricultural practices.
• Governments of Bungoma County and Bomet County: Offering perspectives on local governance and policy support for agricultural innovation.
• Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT: Sharing knowledge on biodiversity and agricultural sustainability.
• Pan-African Bean Research Alliance (PABRA): Proving expertise related to breeding, release, and adoption of iron beans.
• National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK): Highlighting the importance of nutrition in education programs.
• Private Sector Partners: Companies such as NatureLock, Cherubet Company, Nutri & Delish, and Acre Africa, brought perspectives on commercialization, processing, and market access.
• The Seed Trade Association of Kenya (STAK): Focused on seed quality, certification, and supply chain issues.

Defining a Bold Vision for Scaling Impact

The foundational objective guiding the event was to establish a clear, context-specific scaling ambition for iron beans in Kenya, with focus on increasing their adoption, particularly among vulnerable groups. By 2030, the goal is to increase the production of iron beans to account for at least 25% of the total beans produced in Kenya, thereby significantly reducing iron and zinc deficiencies among women and children. The workshop leveraged the IPSR approach to identifying critical bottlenecks in scaling iron beans, and to develop enablers to overcoming these challenges. The IPSR methodology focuses on creating “innovation packages” that combine core innovations, like iron beans, with the necessary enabling conditions to support scaling.

Key Bottlenecks Identified

Through a participatory process, workshop participants identified the following critical bottlenecks that could hinder progress towards the scaling ambition:

• Low Awareness and Demand: Limited understanding of the benefits and availability of iron beans among farmers, consumers, and institutional buyers affects both production and consumption.
• Fragmented Value Chain and Market Access: Weak linkages between producers, seed companies, processors, and buyers create inefficiencies and inconsistent market access, limiting the scale and profitability of iron beans.
• Inconsistent Seed Supply and Quality: Challenges in the distribution and quality control of seeds reduce farmers’ ability to reliably produce iron beans.
• Limited Financial Access: Insufficient access to tailored financial products for smallholder farmers, seed companies, and processors restricts investments in production, processing, and marketing.
• Inadequate Training and Extension Services: Gaps in capacity building for extension agents and other stakeholders hinder the widespread adoption of best practices for cultivating and marketing iron beans.
• Policy and Regulatory Gaps: Weak policy frameworks and regulatory support to integrate iron beans into national nutrition programs and seed certification systems poses a significant barrier to scaling.

Roadmap to Overcome Bottlenecks

To address these bottlenecks, participants leveraged their deep understanding of the local context and their expertise to develop a set of enablers (workstreams) and an action plan:

1. Coordinated Awareness Campaign: Build demand and trust through a multi-channel campaign targeting farmers, consumers, seed companies, food processors, institutional buyers, and policymakers. A team from key organizations will define the campaign’s scope, conduct a needs assessment, and secure initial funding.
2. Strengthen Value Chain Collaboration: Form an Iron Beans Alliance for Commercialization to coordinate efforts among stakeholders, share knowledge, and promote iron bean production and consumption. This involves developing a framework for the alliance and setting clear goals to boost production and market access and linkages.
3. Ensure Consistent Seed Access: Create a robust seed distribution network to provide farmers with year-round access to high-quality seeds, supporting agro-dealers and exploring innovative distribution models. Engagement with farmers and seed companies will address challenges in seed distribution challenges.
4. Inclusive Finance Alternatives: Develop finance products tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers, seed companies, and processors, offering timely access to finance, credit, and grants to support production, processing, and marketing efforts. This will involve reviewing existing financial models and designing products suited to the needs of iron beans value chain actors.
5. Standardized Training for Extension Workers: Develop consistent training programs for extension service providers to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to support the adoption of iron beans. Training modules will be designed to address identified gaps and delivered through workshops and e-learning solutions.
6. Advocacy for Supportive Policies: Efforts will focus on recognizing iron beans as a priority crop in government programs, such as school feeding and maternal health initiatives. Evidence will be compiled to demonstrate the benefits of including iron beans in nutrition programs, and policy briefs will be developed to advocate for supportive regulations.

Leading Market-Driven Scaling and Innovation Beyond Beans

The collaboration between HarvestPlus Solutions (HPS) and CGIAR is redefining how agricultural innovations are scaled using market-driven, evidenced-based approaches with sustainability at the core. After successfully laying a strong foundation for scaling iron beans in Kenya, HPS is ready to apply this model across a range of innovations, from single to bundled solutions like climate-resilient crops integrated with sustainable farming practices. By fostering innovative partnerships within CGIAR and beyond, HPS is leveraging local networks to align solutions with market demand. This strategic approach positions HPS to lead systemic change in agrifood systems, driving long-term gains in food security, nutrition, and rural economic growth.

Looking Ahead

HPS is committed to building on this momentum with a series of scaling events in priority countries over the coming months. The next phase kicks off in Nigeria, where we will focus on driving the widespread adoption of vitamin A maize and iron pearl millet. These efforts will further expand our reach and deepen our impact, creating new opportunities for collaboration and sustainable development across these regions. For organizations interested in scaling impactful agricultural innovations, HarvestPlus Solutions is designing the next generation of market-driven partnerships. To explore how you can collaborate with us in transforming agrifood systems, reach out to Ravinder Grover at r.grover@harvestplus.solutions. For specific details on the Innovation Package and Scaling Readiness approach, contact Marc Schut at m.schut@cgiar.org.