Why do farmers go for fertiliser bean?
To understand why farmers decide to use or not to use fertiliser bean, CIDICCO carried out a comparative study on farming practices and the economic results of two groups of farmers from the Atlantic region in Honduras. The use of the velvet bean (Mucuna sp.), or fertiliser bean, has been largely spread in Honduras and Central America. It has been estimated that about 50,000 farmers are using mucuna in Central America as a whole. In recent years, numerous scientific studies have shown the contribution of this leguminous species to maintenance of soil fertility and control of nematodes. Data were collected from two main sources: the information given by the farmers and the records kept by the extension workers who offer credit and technical assistance to the groups. During the two months needed to gather the information, there were three meetings with the farmers. Group discussion made it possible to crosscheck data perceived as incorrect or where differences in opinion existed. However
