Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance

As we count down to 30 years of PABRA later this year, we are celebrating the people, partnerships, and innovations that have shaped this journey. One such story is that of Imara Tech.

Today, this youth-led enterprise has grown from selling just six multi-crop threshers to delivering more than 1,000 machines to farmers - helping reduce the heavy drudgery of crop threshing, especially for women, while creating jobs and transforming livelihoods.

Through its partnership with PABRA, Imara Tech has continued to expand its reach and impact in Tanzania and beyond - demonstrating how collaboration can turn promising ideas into lasting change.

Watch how the journey has unfolded over the years in this publication: https://cotrue.my.canva.site/pabra-friends-june-2026

Sometimes the most powerful conversations are not about what's possible, but what's already working.

At the World Farmers' Organisation Annual Meeting 2026 in Nairobi - Kenya, surrounded by more than 1,000 delegates from across the globe, one question kept surfacing: How do we take proven solutions further and faster?

For PABRA, a Bean Program of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, the answer lies in strong partnerships, farmer-centered innovation, and thriving markets. The evidence is already visible. From climate-smart, high-yielding bean varieties such as Waithera, developed with KALRO and brought to farmers through East Africa Seed Company, to Cherubet Foods' ready-to-eat "Githeri-on-the-Go," which is making nutritious bean-based foods more accessible to consumers.

Waithera variety can produce up to three times the yield of Wairimu, helping farmers harvest more from the same piece of land.

"This is what value-chain innovation looks like," said PABRA Director Jean Claude Rubyogo, highlighting the power of researchers, farmers, seed companies, food processors, and consumers working together to create impact that reaches far beyond the farm.

We are deeply grateful to the partners and supporters Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Gates Foundation, CGIAR, Swiss Development & Cooperation, Sall Family Foundation, African Governments, Farmer Organizations, the Private Sector, whose continued investment is championing this work. Together, we have demonstrated what is possible. The next step is to expand the reach of these proven innovations so that millions more farmers and families across Africa can benefit.

Partnerships create impact when they move beyond agreements and into action!

Last Thursday in Arusha, Last Thursday in Arusha, Tanzania colleagues from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Farm Africa, and TARI tanzania met to discuss how to turn a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding into meaningful results for farmers and communities.

With the serving as a key entry point, efforts are being aligned to scale agricultural innovations, including improved bean, sorghum, and groundnut varieties, while also exploring opportunities for joint fundraising and greater collective impact.

With the serving as a key entry point, the key was aligning collective efforts to scale agricultural innovations, including improved bean, sorghum, and groundnut varieties, while exploring opportunities for joint fundraising and greater collective impact.

The collaboration will focus on five areas that matter for the future of agriculture:

-Strengthening seed systems to ensure farmers can access quality seed,

-Expanding digital inclusion by leveraging AI and other technologies,

-Improving nutrition through school feeding programs and healthier diets,

-Building stronger value chains and market opportunities,

-Advancing climate action through regenerative and resilient agricultural practices.

No single organization can transform food systems alone. By combining our expertise, networks, and resources, we can create greater opportunities for farmers, strengthen livelihoods, and build more resilient communities.

🎉Celebrating 30 Years of Impact!

2026 marks 30 years of the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) – three decades of innovation, impact, and transformation across Africa.

From improving nutrition to strengthening livelihoods and building resilience for millions of farmers and families, beans have been at the heart of it all since 1996.

As we count down to the celebrations this August, 👉 explore our digital newsletter and catch a glimpse of our impact.

🔗 https://cotrue.my.canva.site/pabra-friends-june-2026

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Strengthening partnerships for better nutrition and brighter futures in Rwanda 🇷🇼

Today, Ueli Mauderli, Acting Head of Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy, paid a courtesy call to the Mayor of Rusizi District and visited activities under the Scaling Sustainable School Feeding Initiative (3SFI).

Implemented by Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT through the PABRA program in partnership with Government of Rwanda and with support from Swiss Development & Cooperation, the initiative is transforming school feeding through integrated nutrition, agriculture, and community-driven solutions.

From schools to households, 3SFI is helping tackle malnutrition, strengthen local food systems, and create sustainable pathways to healthier communities across Rusizi, Nyamasheke, and Karongi Districts.

Learn more about the Initiative here: https://youtu.be/LY9s1Z9zoi8?si=jHtG8aUpFvwEZ0Gw

This Tuesday, all roads lead to Rusizi District in Rwanda’s Western Province 🇷🇼

Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT through , in partnership with the Government of Rwanda, will officially launch the Scaling Sustainable School Feeding Initiative (3SFI), supported by the Swiss Development & Cooperation (SDC).

More than a school feeding program, 3SFI is reimagining how nutrition, agriculture, and community engagement can work together to create lasting impact for children and families.

Building on the Sustainable School Feeding Innovations in Kigali (SSFI), 3SFI is set to strengthen sustainable school feeding systems across Rusizi, Nyamasheke, and Karongi Districts, by supporting healthier learners, stronger local food systems, and more resilient communities.

🎥 Watch and learn how partnership and purpose are transforming school feeding at scale:

3SFI Project in Rwanda - How Rwanda Is Scaling Sustainable School Feeding for National Impact A school meal can change far more than a child’s afternoon.In Rwa...

🫘Strengthening Bean Breeding capacity across Africa

Practical capacity sharing remains central to strengthening Africa’s bean🫘 research systems. Earlier this month, breeding technicians from 11 Sub-Saharan African countries convened under the network for an intensive learning and exchange session aimed at advancing common bean research and innovation.

Jean Claude Rubyogo, Global Bean Program Leader at Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and PABRA Director, emphasized the critical role technicians play in shaping the future of bean breeding and seed systems. He highlighted the importance of aligning breeding efforts with market demand to better serve traders, processors, and consumers across diverse market segments.

A major takeaway from the session was the need for early engagement with market actors by:
✔️ Involving offtakers during varietal selection
✔️ Integrating consumer preferences into breeding pipelines
✔️ Developing varieties that respond to real market demand

This market-oriented approach has the potential to significantly increase the adoption of improved bean varieties and related innovations.

Participants also received specialized training in:
🧬 Breeding
🌿 Physiology
🦠 Pathology
🐛 Entomology

The sessions were facilitated by experts from the Alliance’s Lever 6 (Crops for Nutrition and Health) - bringing together expertise from across Africa and Cali, Colombia.

The initiative reflects PABRA’s continued commitment to building resilient, market-responsive breeding systems while investing in the next generation of scientists driving Africa’s agricultural transformation.

Strengthening science for climate-resilient agriculture 🌱

During the BIOBELIEF Project Data Analysis Workshop, researchers and partners advanced efforts to identify drought-tolerant common bean varieties that can help farmers sustain yields, strengthen food security, and build resilience against climate change.

The insights generated will support the development of bean varieties better suited for drought-prone environments, contributing to improved livelihoods and more .

The project is implemented through a collaboration between KALRO Beans Team and with support from the National Research Fund Kenya.