KENYAN farmers have faced a turbulent year, caught between legislative changes and a devastating scandal. While the country’s Mung Bean Bill, aiming to regulate the lucrative mung bean industry, has moved to mediation, farmers are battling the fallout from the widespread distribution of counterfeit fertilizers that have jeopardized their crop yields and livelihoods.

The Mung Bean Bill is a response to the crop’s rising prominence in Kenya. Known locally as “Ndengu,” mung beans have gained traction due to their drought-resistant nature and high demand in both local and international markets. This legislation seeks to create a framework for stabilizing prices, standardizing quality, and ensuring fair trade practices. However, many farmers fear the bill will add to existing bureaucratic hurdles without addressing core issues such as the recent fertilizer scandal.

Among those affected is Lucy Mutuku, a smallholder farmer from Kibwezi, a semi-arid region in Eastern Kenya. With a weathered face and hands hardened by years of labor, Mutuku stands in her field, explaining her decision to venture into mung bean farming. “It was a diversification strategy,” she says, her voice carrying the resolve of someone who has seen many harvests. “Mung beans are drought-tolerant and using organic manure helps enhance soil fertility. Even with erratic rains, they provide a reliable source of protein for my family and surplus for the market.”

Mutuku’s journey took a dark turn when she became one of the many victims of the government’s subsidized fertilizer program. “Buying synthetic fertilizer has always been expensive,” she recounts, frustration lining her face. “When I heard about the government’s fair-priced option, I bought it quickly. But then I realized it was fake. My crops failed, and it’s disheartening because farming is my only income.”

The scandal’s impact has been widespread, with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) reporting that counterfeit fertilizers accounted for nearly 20 percent of agricultural inputs this season. This affected various crops, including mung beans, maize, and vegetables, devastating small-scale farmers who are now caught in a cycle of debt and uncertainty.

In Makueni County, Beatrice Mwangi, another farmer, invested heavily in mung beans, hoping for a lucrative harvest. With her eyes reflecting a mixture of hope and despair, she recalls the moment she realized the extent of the damage. “I was expecting a bumper harvest,” she says, “but my crops hardly grew. When the agricultural office confirmed the fertilizer was fake, it was a blow.” Now, like many others, she struggles to repay loans taken to purchase inputs, facing financial strain that threatens her family’s future.

Dominic Mbithi in Kitui, one of Kenya’s semi-arid lands, chose mung beans due to their low water requirements. Mbithi, a wiry man in his forties, employs zai pits, shallow basins that capture and conserve water. “This technique helps me maximize water use,” he says, crouching beside one of his pits, examining the soil. Despite the challenges, he’s managed to increase his yields and even engages in value addition by producing mung bean flour, which he sells to local schools and health centers.

Over in Taita Taveta, Joyce Mwikali transitioned from maize and sorghum to mung beans. A determined woman in her fifties, she walks through her sandy-soiled farm with a pride that belies the struggles she faces.

“Mung beans have a shorter growing season and thrive here,” she explains. Through rotational farming and compost use, Mwikali has managed to reduce her dependency on rain-fed agriculture. She now participates in a cooperative that helps with market access, ensuring better prices for her produce.

Michael Muriuki, farming on the eastern slopes of Mt. Kenya in Meru, utilizes drip irrigation to maintain a consistent water supply for his mung beans during dry spells. With a thoughtful demeanour, he shares how this extra income has enabled him to invest in better equipment. “Drip irrigation and integrated pest management have been game-changers for me,” he says, his gaze fixed on the neatly lined plants.

In Tharaka-Nithi, Lydia Njeri began growing mung beans to combat climate change’s effects on traditional crops. Using early planting and certified seeds, she has improved her household’s nutrition and found a reliable market for her surplus produce.

“Selling to processors who make mung bean products like noodles and flour gives me a steady income,” she notes, her expression softening as she describes the positive changes in her community.

Even though the National Assembly rejected the Mung Bill 2022, at the second reading stage proponents argue it could offer a regulatory framework to protect farmers from fraudulent agricultural inputs.

However, critics like Dr John Mburu, an agricultural economist, caution that legislation alone is insufficient. “We need a comprehensive approach,” he emphasizes, “including stricter enforcement against counterfeit products, farmer education, and better quality control infrastructure.”

The bill will now proceed to mediation, according to the National Assembly.

The farmers’ stories underscore the deep-seated vulnerabilities within Kenya’s agricultural sector. While the Mung Bean Bill may offer a glimmer of hope, immediate action is required to strengthen regulatory oversight, enhance farmer awareness, and ensure the authenticity of agricultural inputs. The future of these farmers—and the nation’s food security—depends on it.

As the debate continues, the voices of farmers like Mutuku, Mwangi, Mbithi, Mwikali, Muriuki, and Njeri must guide the development of policies that truly support and protect Kenya’s agricultural community. Only then can such crises be prevented in the future.

The 2024 Mung Bean Congress, held in Bangkok, Thailand, brought together 110 stakeholders from 23 countries. This gathering was a platform for sharing current research and discussing future priorities, including studies supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

Dr Eri Huttner, ACIAR’s Research Program Manager for crops, emphasized the significant potential impact of their investment in mung bean improvement research on partner countries, highlighting the crop’s growing global importance.

As the debate continues, the voices of the most affected—the farmers—mustn’t be overlooked. Their firsthand experiences and insights should be at the forefront of developing policies that truly support and protect Kenya’s agricultural community. This approach is essential to prevent such crises from reoccurring.

Back in 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming 2016 as the International Year of Pulses. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) spearheaded this initiative, which significantly increased public awareness of pulses’ nutritional and environmental advantages while emphasizing their function in sustainable food production.

Building on the success of this celebration and recognizing the potential of pulses to achieve the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Burkina Faso proposed the observance of World Pulse Day. Consequently, in 2019, the General Assembly proclaimed February 10 as World Pulse Day, further underscoring the vital role pulses play in global food security and sustainability.

By Robert Kibet