Farmers in western Kenya are tapping into the potential of a rare but highly nutritious crop – the velvet bean also known as mucuna.
According to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, the legume not only plays a vital role in conservation agriculture but also offers numerous benefits for human nutrition and livestock feed.
Mucuna is crucial for improving farm productivity and enhancing soil fertility through nitrogen fixation.
In Western region, farmers are increasingly adding value to this versatile crop by milling it into flour, which is then used to make porridge, mandazis and cakes.
A women’s group at Shibembe in Butere sub county, Kakamega county, is among the pioneers in this initiative.
They are not only growing the crop but also processing it into value added products that contribute to both their nutritional needs and income.
Caroline Naliaka, a member of the Shivembe Farmers youth group, shared the group’s experience and said they have been growing mucuna as a cover crop because it’s rich in protein.
“We add value to it by milling it into flour and using it to make nutritious porridge, cakes and mandazis. We sell these products to the local community and have been able to generate income from them,” she said.
The group comprising more than 50 percent women has benefited from a mucuna recipe cookbook supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation Pro Soil Programme, which is running in Bungoma, Kakamega and Siaya counties.
Flora Ajera, an adviser in charge of extension and training with the GIZ, said the mucuna plant helps address issues like soil erosion and infertility.
“It can be used as animal feed and,
through value addition, as human food. The health benefi ts include
anti-aging properties, and it helps
manage blood sugar levels and
blood pressure, as well as supports
the body in managing stress and
depression,” she said.
