IT experts say on the Uganda fibre optic cable

By Esther Nakkazi

The Uganda National Backbone Initiative project (NBI) for the past months has been facing so much criticism for its sloppy and shoddy work.

I have been speaking to experts and following the debate on i-network www.i-network.or.ug mailing list. Here are some issues that have come up:

Some experts are calling to uproot the already laid cable, something experts are talking about with mixed feelings after the time and funds invested in the $110 million Chinese funded project.

In the meantime, NITA has asked the Chinese-Huawei Technologies, to stop work on the project and to undertake a forensic audit and fix mistakes at the firms cost.

But Huawei officials said the dig-ups in the city by utility companies are responsible for the damages on the cable. They insisted that each party comes up with a team to investigate works on the cable.

Huawei officials like some experts in the IT sector and on I-Network mailing list insist that the G652 is a standard widely used cable.

Dr. Ham Mulira pioneer ICT minister and also an IT expert says he does not understand why they say the cable can not work. It is a standard cable the most widely used, it is sad when people make wild statements.

“The cost of the project is not only the fibre, there are civil works, compensation for the right of way, you just do not divide cost by distance,” said Mulira of the cost of the Ugandan cable that is said to be more expensive than Rwanda.

As a showcase and reference for a cable laid in Africa, Huawei would never do shoddy work. Many African countries were in Uganda to study the project including Malawi, ICT ministry official said.

But Samuel Besweli on the I-Network mailing list says the G652 cable limits capacity to 2.5Gbps-10 Gbps and it will require additional repeaters or DCF/SEQs to compensate for the long haul applications, which could simply become more expensive than initially laying the G655 cable.

Experts say the technology to solve these problems is in place and at advanced stages so it may not necessarily be costly after 15 years when the cable needs upgrading. Although the question would then be why not set up one that does not need upgrading initially.

Here are some excerpts from Mark Tinka, the chief Network Architect, Global Transmit Communications, Malaysia and others on the I-Network Mailing list about the cable: the average life span of a terrestrial or submarine cable system (other external factors notwithstanding) is between 15 - 20 years.

G652 is capable of pumping 10Gbps, and if the cable is fairly new with minimal to no splicing or fibre cuts, it could manage 40Gbps within 10 years of its useful lifecycle so the capacity issue is a non-issue.

Fibre is cheap, and with the ducting already in place, sending G655 through will be, easy, moreover, upgrading the whole network can be in phases. While those running 40Gbps or less are still on G652 you can install the G652.

This is an operational issue, not a technical one even if the fibre was G652, G653 or G655. We cannot predict that the next revision of G655 or G656 or whatever future cable will be much better.

Stakeholders in the Industry are also worried that the cable was not laid deep enough, which will create cuts and down time.

Safety in terms of depth remains to be seen when it is in operation, the trade off is between cost, security and timelines. Pulling out fibre and replacing it for no major technical or commercial reason is counter-intuitive.

The significance of being able to pump 880Gbps up to 1.6Tbps or 160 wavelengths @ 10Gbps each, worth of bandwidth over a single core of newer, low attenuation G652 fibre should not be underestimated.

I would suggest going ahead to light what has been laid, continue to lay the remaining G652 until it runs out, and then purchase and lay G655 for the remainder of the
project. However, all current purchases of G652 must halt!, advised Tinka.

Grandma: Lover of Pets

Over the Easter holiday, I was off to the village (now a small town) to visit my maternal grandmother Mrs. Margaret Njakasi. She has had a heart problem over the last few months and as her granddaughter, I feel obliged to care for her. Not that she has no children, she has three of them but my mother R.I.P, her firstborn was her best friend and naturally I feel that in her absence I should be her caretaker.

Both my maternal grandparents are alive and so is my paternal grandmother from whom I get my first name, Esther. My estimates put grandma’s age (Mrs. Njakasi) at about 80 years but her children give me different figures 76-79. Whatever.

I consider her a hero; she, for instance, brought up my 3 cousins whose father my uncle Eddie (my mum’s brother) died of HIV in the early 90’s. One of the girls, Susan was brought to grandma’s house only 2 years old. She later told me she thought grandma was her mum. Susan is now a woman in her early 20’s.

But grandma is almost the only poor person I know (there are others of course) who keep pets. Every time I visit there is a dog or a cat on her heels. I remember visiting grandma when I was young and she had a dog-called Pido. Naturally, as a kid I was afraid of Pido, whenever Pido came near me I would scream and my mum, irritated, would tell her mother to keep 'her' dog away from me.

Grandma keeps a cow, whose name 'Alinyikira' is loosely translated -'she who works hard'- but grandma talks and sings for the cow as though she was a human being. My cousins claim the cow cries when grandma is leaving say for church or a visit. Strange!

On this Easter day, there was a new cat. Really happy to see me, grandma invited me to go sit in the living room, as opposed to the mats we usually sit on outside the house on the verandah.

Mr or Ms. Cat spotted me with tea and bread and the mewing started. Grandma first put a pillow and called for the cat to sit near her. The cat was more interested in what I was eating. She climbed really close to my chair and mewed louder. Oh dear!

Grandma encouraged me to give the cat some bread. Then my cousin, Banga, angrily narrated how grandma treats the cat as though it was her child. She even allows it to eat from her plate, he said really disgusted. Another cousin chipped in, she gives them (pets) milk (from the cow) not considering us.

Banga kicked the cat away, saying it is a spoilt, lazy cat that can’t even catch mice. I sensed that the cat really detests Banga, after eating a fair share of my bread she went and coiled on the pillow near grandma. Unfortunately, she has no name; grandma has run out of names I guess.

But being poor and a lover of pets, she either has to share her food with them or collect leftovers both of which she does diligently. I prefer dogs to cats, maybe I should keep one. But it is too expensive! I am sure I never inherited grandma’s love for pets or I would not think the way I do, and none of the grandchildren I know keep them either. It is different from Grandma and pets!

Kenyan Matutu driver outsmarts Nigerian journalist on World Water Day 2010:

So it was the World Water Day 2010 celebrations in Nairobi. The theme for this year was water quality; makes a lot of sense since there are so many efforts focused on water availability.

So I was in town for the day. After the celebrations at UNEP in Nairobi, I and a group of journalists decided to take a Matatu back to town. The ride would have gone without incidence save for the continuous jokes by one of the Nigerian journalists, Fidelis, in the heavy traffic jam.

And an abrupt turn by the lady driver ahead of our Matatu that almost caused an accident. There was no bang, if anything it could have been just a scratch because the Matatu driver stopped so suddenly, my tall neighbor banged his head on the Matatu roof.

Immediately the driver (Kenyan of Indian origin) jumped out of her car and angrily scolded the taxi man. Somehow the driver was not arguing back, he was only trying to explain that she had turned so abruptly and the scratch was insignificant.

Meanwhile, we were holding up a lot of cars in the heavy jam, the cue seemed endless to the eye. Back inside the Matatu, Fidelis was making all sorts of comments. At one point he stood up to go and ‘help’ the Matatu driver, who according to him was doing nothing to assure the lady driver that she was the one in the wrong.

If anything he was making more noise than the Matatu driver but while inside the Matatu. Other passengers were smiling just enjoying the drama of the day, some were anxiously peeping out of the windows impatient to go.
I was listening to Fidelis and his talk of what he would do if only this had occurred in Lagos.

Suddenly, the Matatu conductor came and opened the boot and because I was in the back seat, I took it that he wanted to put in their some luggage. The driver of the Matatu also slowly got in his seat and within seconds we were racing up the street.

With all the cars out of the way by now we could have flown. On taking off I saw the confused lady driver trying to take a run a bit and then taking the photograph of the back of the Matatu but it was too late and too smooth.

So there was no case for the Matatu driver because the boot was open and there were no number plates to record on the mobile phone picture taken by the lady. Fidelis acknowledged that Yes the taxi conductor was smarter than him. And that is what I call smart. Happy World Water Day 2010! Be a smart water consumer get rid of water waste the only way to have quality water for consumption.

Homosexuality- what Ugandans say.

By Esther Nakkazi

Last week, I went to cover a meeting of the Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala. Tempers flared as people spoke emotionally while debating the anti-homosexuality bill.

The guest speaker was Professor Makau Mutua, a Kenyan scholar in law, gender, and sexuality. He spoke about human rights, why people are homophobic, and argued that there is no single “normal” sexual orientation—what is normal is what is natural to each individual.

Before I get back to that discussion, let me take a step back to a conversation with my neighbour from Spain, Anna Maria, who came to Uganda for a journalism fellowship under the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). She is a political writer attached to one of Uganda’s daily newspapers, The Monitor.

Anna Maria and her husband, Ernesto—who speaks very little English—arrived in Uganda about two months ago. They live in the apartment just above mine in Kiwatule.

One Tuesday morning, as is often the case, Anna Maria and I left home together for work. We boarded a taxi (a 14-seater matatu), and as usual, began discussing the previous day’s events. She had attended a press conference by the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and was reflecting on the party’s candidates, Dr. Kizza Besigye and Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu.

She mentioned that she had missed an opportunity to ask what she felt was an important question: why the opposition remained largely silent on the anti-homosexuality bill, despite frequently speaking about democracy and human rights. It was a fair question, but time had run out before she could raise it.

Our conversation shifted to how homosexuality is viewed in Spain, where, from her perspective, it is largely treated as a matter of human rights. We became so absorbed in our discussion that I did not notice the silence that had fallen over the taxi. The other passengers were listening.

In the front seat sat a man who had been following our conversation closely. He suddenly turned, visibly irritated, and asked Anna Maria whether she really thought it was proper to practise homosexuality.

“In Uganda, we shall never accept it,” he said. “We have to protect the traditional family.”

His views were not unusual. Many Ugandans hold similar opinions. Those who think differently are often people who have been exposed to other perspectives, are open-minded, or both.

The man then asked Anna Maria what she would do if her son married another man. By now, his tone had grown sharper, and he was staring directly at her. She calmly tried to explain that if her son were gay, it would be his choice, and while she would not encourage it, she would not interfere.

He responded by saying that in countries like hers, people are encouraged to become gay, which made her raise her voice slightly in response. Then he said something that stunned her: if his son were to engage in homosexuality, he would kill him.

Mob justice is not uncommon in Uganda, and Anna Maria was unfamiliar with how quickly situations like this can escalate. I also recalled how an American reporter working on a similar issue had once nearly been deported.

Soon after, Anna Maria reached her stop and got off. As I prepared to alight shortly after, the man turned to me again and repeated his view: that Africa would never accept homosexuality.

He also expressed a common fear—that if Uganda did not pass a law outlawing homosexuality, a large part of the population would become gay.

I stepped out of the taxi and continued on to another day of work.

Fast forward to last week’s meeting, where Professor Mutua delivered a compelling talk. He explained why homosexuality should be understood as a human right, challenged the idea that it is “un-African,” and explored the deeper reasons behind widespread homophobia on the continent.

During the discussions, Odonga Otto, a Member of Parliament, made it very clear that he was thinking and speaking like about 90 percent of his colleagues in Parliament. “MPs do not consider homosexuality a right, and it will never be a right in their lifetime in Uganda,” he said. 

The author of the Bill, Bahati, holds the same position—that homosexuality is not a right. Period.

As the discussion progressed, one issue stood out clearly in the seminar, which was mostly attended by lawyers and human rights activists: many Ugandans would not accept homosexuality as a human right.

During the workshop, there was a demand for a scientific explanation for homosexuality. Some participants, including MPs, told Prof. Mutua that if there were scientific evidence explaining why people become homosexual, the debate would be different. They were convinced it was a health problem.

Even if research were to be carried out, it is unlikely that it would be done in Africa. Many people in Uganda believe it is a learned habit, and as one pastor alleged, it is even motivated by money. “We can treat them psychologically and talk them out of the habit,” he concluded.

Here are some thoughts and observations on this issue. It is possible that homosexuality has existed in some African societies, even in Uganda—who knows? But prior to this Bill, few people seemed to pay much attention to it.

Now, some in the community feel that they are being pressured and coerced into engaging with and debating homosexuality. A woman who frequently travels for international meetings recently told me, “It is not our agenda at all. We have more serious problems, and I feel uncomfortable when I am constantly exposed to discussions about homosexuality.” 

Many others have expressed similar sentiments. For a country like Uganda, which faces many pressing challenges, some question whether this should be a priority.

Secondly, the way people debate and interpret issues depends on many factors. The ability to listen and engage in discussion without becoming emotional or confrontational is rare and does not necessarily depend on one’s level of education.

Much of the fear expressed in Uganda is that if homosexuality is not outlawed, a large number of Ugandans will become homosexual. One explanation for this fear lies in the nature of society. In Uganda, as in many African countries, communities are closely knit—everyone’s life is seen as everyone’s business. Cultural norms are strongly enforced, and anything that falls outside accepted standards is often judged harshly.

This brings me to another point raised by Prof. Mutua—that homosexuality is often considered “un-African.” Mr. X, the man in the taxi, asked Anna Maria, “Why do you people bring homosexuality here?” In his view, she represented an entire culture.

For many Ugandans, the voices opposing the anti-homosexuality Bill are largely external, apart from a few local human rights activists. This creates the impression that a foreign perspective is being imposed on a society that believes it has the right to determine its own values and direction.

Public condemnations by prominent international leaders, while African leaders remain largely silent, have not helped the situation. The Bill itself is a private member’s Bill, and its sponsor, Bahati, has not always been able to defend it convincingly in public discussions. In one televised debate, for instance, the argument appeared disorganised. This creates an opening for opposition, but the strong external pressure may also harden local resistance.

I will say this again: the homophobia is intense, but so is the pressure from outside. My sense is that the Bill may ultimately not be passed—practically speaking, it would be difficult to enforce, given how many people could be affected, including those in churches and the medical profession. 

However, when external actors push too strongly against it, it can make local communities feel alienated and more determined to resist what they perceive as outside interference.

As Anna Maria later reflected, the longer she lives in Uganda, the more she understands reactions like that of Mr. X. There are many factors that shape how societies tolerate or reject different ideas, but one thing remains clear: meaningful dialogue is still limited.

There is a proverb in Uganda that says people from underground cannot tell those living on the surface how hot the sun is or how bright it shines—they are from underground. Those on the surface can decide for themselves whether the heat is too much and choose to plant trees for shade. But when those from underground insist too strongly, people above may become stubborn.

(Disclaimer : These are reflections based on what I have heard through interviews and observed as a journalist, as well as my own views. Interestingly, a friend recently told me not to write about this topic at all—she called it “demonic.” I am a Christian, but I value open discussion and understanding what people think.

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Look beyond treatment-Uganda scientists on US antimalarial drug quality study

By Esther Nakkazi

This week the US published a report from a study on the quality of anti-malarial drugs in Uganda and other African countries.

But Uganda scientists have different opinions saying although the study was good and relevant, there are more pressing problems with malaria, which kills at least 300 people, per day, mostly children under five years and pregnant women in Uganda.

Some Uganda scientists think the study was a 'commercial ploy’ by the malaria industry but all agree there is a bigger problem than impure drugs. They pointed out that the resistance problem for malaria drugs is more of a bad consumer behaviour problem rather than purity of drugs.

In Uganda, drug resistance is manifested because many people misuse drugs properly rather than taking low quality anti-malarials. Dr. Myers Lugemwa, officer in charge of malaria research at the ministry of Health said even if it sounds like common sense but the fastidious behavior of patients  probably caused by ignorance and cultural beliefs brings about drug resistance.

He said many patients seeking treatment have cheeky behaviors like ceasing to take medicines when they feel better and sharing medicines with neighbors and friends.

So for Uganda and many other countries the issue of quality of drugs is not a primary concern but accessibility.

“We are only taking what is available, we can not just have people die because the drugs are not good quality. We have tested them and found them effective,” said Dr. Lugemwa.

National Drug Authority (NDA), the Uganda regulatory body officials said they test all the drugs that come to the market and they are dealing with counterfeits on the market but the laboratories are registering a downward trend in quality testing failure over the past decade.

“There has been a drop in drug failure rate in our laboratories over the last 10 years. But there are problems with consumers due to self medication, incomplete doses and as a result drugs become ineffective,” said Fredrick Ssekyana, the spokesperson for Uganda National Drug Authority (NDA).

The reactions follow the release of a report that said that the most effective type of malaria-fighting drugs sold in three African countries including Uganda are often of poor quality, raising fears of increased drug resistance.

Between 16 per cent and 40 per cent of artemisinin-based drugs sold in Senegal, Madagascar and Uganda failed quality testing, for reasons including impurities or not containing enough active ingredient, the survey found.

'I am alarmed by these results because it means there are many cases of malaria that are being only partially treated, and that just guarantees acceleration of artemisinin drug resistance.'— Rachel Nugent, Centre for Global Development

The study was the first part of a 10-country examination of antimalarials in Africa by the U.S. and the World Health Organization.

Artemisinin-based drugs are the only affordable treatment for malaria left in the global medicine cabinet. Other drugs have already lost effectiveness due to resistance, which builds when not enough medicine is taken to kill all of the mosquito-transmitted parasites.

If artemisinin-based drugs stop working, there is no good replacement and experts worry many people could die.

"It is worrisome that almost all of the poor-quality data that was obtained was a result of inadequate amounts of active [ingredients] or the presence of impurities in the product," said Patrick Lukulay, director of a nongovernmental U.S. Pharmacopeia program funded by the U.S. government, which conducted the survey. "This is a disturbing trend that came to light."

NDA officials said they also have a problem with increasing drug counterfeits on the market, which is a global evil, but it is working with Interpol to curb the vice.

“We have people who change expiry dates, drug labels and even make pills using cassava flour,” said Ssekyana.

The three-country report also found bad drugs in both the public and private health sectors, meaning governments — some buying medicines with donor funds — are not doing enough to keep poor-quality pills out.

All of the drugs tested from the public sector in Uganda, however, passed the quality tests. But 40 per cent of the artemisinin-based drugs in Senegal failed.

"There are countries where donated medicines are not subjected to quality controls, they're just accepted," said Lukulay. "There are countries in Africa where Chinese products have been donated and found to be unacceptable later in the public sector."

Donations come in during epidemics or seasonal disease outbreaks, simultaneously and generously, and they are accepted by non-governmental and faith-based organizations unconditionally, according to NDA officials.

“We urge that the donations are subject to the same tests but we usually re-export or destroy them and the costs are borne by those who donate them,” said Victoria Birungi Kwesiga, inspector of drugs at NDA.

Nearly 200 samples underwent full quality control testing in a U.S. laboratory to examine the amount of active ingredient present and drug purity. For both drugs, 44 per cent from Senegal failed the full quality testing, followed by 30 per cent from Madagascar and 26 per cent from Uganda.

“I think this is a commercial ploy to discredit other drug companies super ceding others,” said a pharmacist in Wandegeya a suburb in Uganda.

“They should look beyond treatment to prevention. Recently I heard in the media that Uganda mosquitoes are resistant to DDT, they should focus on the parasite,” said Rhona Nankya a nurse in Kampala.

In all three countries, the antimalarial brands collected from various areas and sectors tended to either do well across the board or poorly, which could prove helpful for governments working to ban low-grade drugs.

Results from the other countries surveyed — Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania — have not yet been publicly released by the WHO.

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Celebrating Two Decades of Groundbreaking HIV Research: MRC/UVRI’s Legacy

By Esther Nakkazi

On February 2nd, we marked the 20-year anniversary of the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute (MRC/UVRI) partnership in HIV research, celebrated in Entebbe. While medical research may not seem glamorous, its importance is undeniable, especially when findings shape policies that impact millions of lives.

As a journalist, I didn’t always pay close attention to how scientific research informs policy. However, freelancing has allowed me the freedom to explore diverse angles for different publications. In 2006-2007, while writing for RealHealthNews under UK editor Robert Walgate, I learned to spotlight the policy implications of research. 

One story that stood out during that time was about male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy, based on studies conducted in Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa. Although groundbreaking, it is yet to be fully implemented as policy in Uganda.

Over the past two decades, MRC/UVRI has excelled as a multidisciplinary research hub, shaping HIV policies, guidelines, and treatment protocols in Uganda and beyond. Its contributions have even influenced international guidelines.

Cotrimoxazole: A Game-Changer

One of the unit’s pivotal studies in the 1990s demonstrated that the antibiotic cotrimoxazole (commonly known as Septrin) could cost-effectively prevent secondary infections in HIV patients with weakened immune systems. This finding transformed HIV care, leading to widespread adoption of cotrimoxazole treatment across Africa.

Today, the unit continues to push boundaries. Dr. Paula Munduri, who manages the HIV research program, is planning a new study to determine whether cotrimoxazole remains necessary for patients whose immune systems have recovered under antiretroviral therapy (ART). If proven unnecessary, this could save costs and reduce the pill burden for patients, enhancing treatment adherence. The trial, expected to start in mid-2010, has already secured funding—a testament to the unit's enduring impact.

Sustaining Research Excellence

At the anniversary celebrations, British High Commissioner Martin Shearman announced £40 million in funding to support the unit over the next decade. This investment underscores the importance of ongoing research, particularly in areas like HIV vaccine development and tackling resistance to antiretroviral drugs.

One of the most intriguing studies underway seeks to understand why a small group of people have natural immunity to HIV. These individuals, despite exposure to the virus, remain uninfected. Led by Dr. Pietro Pala as part of the International Centre for HIV Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI), the research involves analyzing samples from sero-discordant couples in Kampala, collected since 2007. Unlocking the secrets of these immune systems could pave the way for an effective HIV vaccine.

A Regional Reference Laboratory for HIV Drug Resistance

As part of the celebrations, a regional reference laboratory for monitoring HIV drug resistance was commissioned by Uganda’s Vice President, Dr. Gilbert Bukenya. This facility further cements MRC/UVRI’s role as a leader in HIV research, equipped with cutting-edge infrastructure and collaborative networks that transcend borders.

Looking Ahead

The MRC/UVRI partnership has set a gold standard for translating research into actionable policy. With robust funding, groundbreaking studies, and a focus on real-world impact, the future of HIV research looks promising. For me, this milestone anniversary isn’t just a celebration of the past—it’s an inspiration for the stories yet to be told. Next time Walgate calls, I’ll have plenty to write about.

The lab commissioned at the MRC/UVRI 20th anniversary
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BEANS AND WOMEN IN RWANDA

Esther Nakkazi in Rwanda

The journey to Kigali started off on the Rwanda Air twin-engine propeller Dash-100, a small 37-seater plane. It was on short notice by Centre for International Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), but it was worth the journey on the earsplitting, rickety plane and heavy rains as we landed at the airport in Kigali.

The good news was that on January 15, 2010, Rwanda scientists at the Institut de Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda (ISAR) released 15 new bean varieties that are going to benefit thousands of farmers in the central and east African region.

Rwanda and Beans:
For this beans field-learning trip, I think I have learned so much about climbing beans, I am contemplating becoming a bean farmer or changing my name to Ms. Esther Bean.

But seriously, here are some facts about Rwanda and beans, particularly climbing beans, which fascinated me so much, and interestingly, I had never seen them grow in the field.

Rwanda is one of Africa’s most densely populated nations. It relies on beans as the main staple food, source of protein and calories as such beans are consumed on a daily basis by almost everybody. The very poor can eat them alone. 

Luckily, beans described as a ‘poor mans’ meat’ and a second-class protein can be the sole source of protein with very little or no first class protein (animal) supplement. 

That is why Rwandans, who reportedly are the highest consumers of beans in the world at 50-60kgs kgs per capita (per person per year), grow strong and healthy by eating only beans as a source of protein.

They eat the leaf, as a vegetable, the grain at major meal times- lunch, dinner, and kids eat beans for breakfast with tea before going to school. In other countries when one eats a meal like Irish or sweet potatoes than beans, the other food is the bigger portion but in Rwanda, the beans per meal are more than the other food.

Rwanda has one of the highest diversity of beans in Africa. It has so much variety in terms of color, types-bush beans and climbing beans as well as Rwanda farmers have immense knowledge on beans.

The new bean varieties released by ISAR on 15th January. 

For instance according to Augustine Musoni, a bean breeder with ISAR, since the year 2000-2010, Rwanda in partnership with CIAT has developed 35 beans varieties. They have thus, managed to get high yielding, disease resistant and climate change tolerant beans that can easily grow elsewhere in the region.

Rwanda also has the mandate to breed for climbing beans in the region under CIAT. In Rwanda, beans are grown in especially the northern region. 

For our tour, we visited Ruhengere, a 2 hours ride from Kigali, and also Kirambo and Musanze in Bulera district. I must say that Rwanda is a beautiful country with many hills. I can describe it as a high rising brown cake, decorated with green icing sugar with thick chocolate (brown dirty water) flowing along its hills.

With its high population and declining land size, climbing beans allow maximum use of limited land and are comparable to having skyscrapers in cities in terms of space utilization.

Women and Beans:
Beans are described as a woman’s crop. Women in Rwanda plant, cultivate, harvest, store, sell, cook the beans and they are very much involved in the selection of bean varieties developed by plant breeders. 

The farmers’ experience in growing beans is excellent, actually, Rwandan women could be the most experienced about growing beans in the world, with a lot of knowledge the ladies are said to know their beans very well.

They can tell which beans can grow in a particular type of soil and season. Hence, Rwanda bean breeders, have a deep connection with Rwandan women via beans. The breeders cannot release a variety until they get confirmation from women who touch, cook and taste them in the participatory variety bean selection.

“When we are breeding we get women to select the varieties. They have the traditional expertise, they will look at the seed in their hands and just say this variety cannot be grown here or it will not do well,” said Musoni.

A woman farmer in Rwanda tending to her climbing beans.

Women also give beans names in Rwanda. The beans bear scientific names but are also given local names.

One of the varieties released on January 15th was CAB 2 – scientific name, Gasirida, local name after a woman farmer Cansilde Gasirinda.

The women also name some beans after what they look like in terms of colors, shape- ‘red kidney’, or other characteristics like weight, ‘coltan’ because they are heavy and fetch more money just as the mineral coltan.

Jacqueline Mujawamariya, 31 years old has spent many years growing, tending, eating and selling beans. She eats beans with Irish potatoes and posho and does not remember that many days when she had a meal with no beans.

As a bean farmer and trader, she has bought a calf from her beans proceeds. She described the climbing beans –as ‘sweet’ compared to bush beans. But also the climbing beans technology –is comparable to the 'Jack and the Beanstalk', which is extremely useful where land pressure is soaring and the need for higher yields is very intense.

CIAT and Beans:

The partnership between the Centre for International Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) and Rwanda’s ISAR has developed improved climbing beans that slink up stakes two meters high- tripling, and even quadrupling yields.

These beans require stakes and relatively more labor, but they give back assisting in soil nitrogen fixing, as well as reduction of soil erosion in sloping areas that experience heavy rain. 

In Rwanda, the immediate pay off from the high yields of climbing types has catalyzed farmers’ adoption of soil fertility improvements, such as organic amendments and the use of agroforestry. This has led to better soil conservation and more sustainable agro-ecosystems for areas.

According to Dr. Robin Buruchara, Africa regional Coordinator CIAT, the national programmes like ISAR in Rwanda, or Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) in Uganda, are given lines for breeding that they make adaptable to the needs of the country.

For instance, the ‘marker assistance selection’, which is basically conventional technology is used to breed varieties that are selected by farmers. CIAT, the custodian of beans varieties, however, does not allow the varieties to be sold after being bred even after the country program adds value because they are a ‘public good’.

That hopefully, is knowledge enough for you to become Mr/Ms. Bean like I would like to become  a bean farmer like the Rwandan women.
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