Every bean has its place in Rwanda

Rwanda is geographically and ecologically diverse, and this is reflected in its crop and varietal diversity. It is an important secondary center of genetic diversity for common bean, with some 600 distinct varieties being grown.

Fortunately, the CGIAR Centers had established a substantial knowledge base on agrobiodiversity issues before the Rwandan conflict—not knowing how valuable this would turn out to be during reconstruction. CIAT, for example, had documented how farmers develop diverse local mixtures of bean varieties suited to their differing agroecological conditions (Sperling et al. 1993; Voss 1992). In addition to helping guide seed restoration activities, this information became a crucial baseline in assessing the effects of the conflict.

Prior to the Seeds of Hope (SOH) Initiative in Rwanda, emergency aid operations typically imported massive shipments of just a few varieties that could be located quickly, without much regard for diversity and adaptation. SOH broke new ground by focusing on farmer's own agrobiodiversity and seed systems (Buruchara et al. 2002). SOH proved that aid agencies can successfully move an impressive range of farmer-appreciated varieties in the heat of a crisis—if they have access to the requisite seed system knowledge and insights into specific sources (for example, regional markets). Careful followup surveys and field trials demonstrated that this approach gave farmers what they really wanted and resulted in higher and more stable yields due to better crop adaptation and disease resistance.

The nimble response of SOH involved a number of timely decisions and actions. An inventory of seed holdings within the national program, ISAR (Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Rwanda), was urgently carried out before the stations could be looted. One heroic Rwandan field assistant, Alexis Rumaziminsi, kept bean field trials going throughout the war, storing the seed at the Rwerere highland station. Regional network holdings were also updated. As soon as it became possible, the available seed was planted for rejuvenation and multiplication through critical support from World Vision International. During followup impact surveys, seed samples were also collected from farmers as a safety backup measure.

Some 1260 bean samples were collected and characterized in neighboring Uganda. They were compared against holdings in the CIAT gene bank in Cali, Colombia to assess gaps and duplicates. The set has since been returned to Rwanda for further study and use.

Cambodia lies within the swath of Asia where rice first evolved and its diversity is greatest, so degradation of biodiversity due to conflict in this sensitive area is a major concern. In contrast to the quick and resilient outcome observed in Rwanda, agrobiodiversity losses were significant during the long period of Khmer Rouge rule in Cambodia. Farmers grew a wide range of traditional varieties before the Khmer Rouge came to power (Javier 1997). Varietal diversity helps rice farmers reduce diseases and address specialty markets (Zhu et al. 2000). The Pol Pot regime suppressed cultivation of varieties they thought primitive, especially deepwater rice varieties. Many of these have been lost forever.

Instead, farmers were forced to plant exotic varieties from China that did not grow well in Cambodia. Farmers were relocated from one area to another, often carrying their traditional seed with them, which was not necessarily well suited to their new location. They had no backup reserves when the crops they planted did not produce a seed harvest. Farmers abandoned fields far from their homes because of security concerns. Traditional knowledge of cultivation methods and varietal adaptation was lost on a large scale (Javier 1997).