The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and its partners are distributing a high-yield, fast-growing, non-GMO bean to refugees in Uganda to help replenish their stocks. An estimated 2,000kg of beans per hectare can be grown from 50kg of seeds, which mature 10-20 days faster than most local bean varieties. The bean, called Nabe 15, was developed by scientist to help ease the burden of Uganda’s more than 1 million South Sudanese refugees and lack of funds which let to a cut in food rations last year.
Nabe 15 is also more resilient to pests, disease and drought, making it ideal for the small farming plots allocated to refugees, which are not usually conducive for production.
