Report on mung bean field activities – Oct 17-Nov. 2, 2019 Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.): Protein-rich legume for diet diversification and malnutrition reduction in Senegal

Lessons learned from the first round of mung bean cultivation from “Why mung bean for Senegal”. Mung bean’s appealing quality for Senegal includes its quick and aggressive start, short season or early maturing (50-65 days from planting to harvest), its dual use for food and livestock feed, and high market value. Mung bean is well adapted to Senegal’s climate and growing conditions include drought tolerance, and adaptation to marginal soils, relatively low nutrient requirements, and low management requirements. Mung bean can be used as a food, livestock feed, or cover crop. As a food, dried beans (whole or split) may be consumed with staple crops such as rice or millet. Mung bean, thus, represents a major addition to the limited legume crops and supplement to cereal-based diets in Senegal. Mung bean producers from Senegal’s river valley (floodplain recession), may have competitive advantage compared to those growing mung bean under rain-fed and/or irrigation regimes. This is due to the high water-holding capacity of the heavy clay soil. Positive feedback on new/alternative crop (mung bean) as a means to diversify the cropping systems, add potential income to the household and contribute to dietary diversification of the community. Positive feedback from women included the ease and desirability of mung bean harvest, food preparation, and utilization (taste good). The meetings and field visits provided opportunity for the farmers to interact with each other, school officials, reginal and local facilitators and VT/CPI project leaders. Mung bean also provided a platform for all the stakeholders involved to discuss diet diversification and malnutrition reduction at the community level. Overall, the excitement surrounding the introduction, production and consumption of mung bean in the St. Louis region of Senegal has been incredibly exciting and encouraging. We observed no reservation or uncertainty on how to handle/manage a new and unfamiliar crop like mung bean.