Esther Mudomo is a respected bean grower in western Kenya. As if farming isn’t enough
hard work for the 80-year-old, she also sells seed to other farmers and leads a
women’s group that experiments with bean varieties and cultivation methods.
One new variety that has passed their test is fondly referred to locally
as Esther’s Bean. It resists root rot, cooks quickly, tastes good, and sells for a
good price. Most important, it matures early. "If it’s planted in March,
you’re eating it in May," says Esther.
Last year she sold 80 kilograms of beans. With the money she bought a bull, for plowing
and for mating with heifers. The bull was born on Kenya’s Independence Day, Jamhuri,
so she called it Jamhuri Beans. Esther Mudomo is living proof that science and farmer
ingenuity are a powerful mix—the broad lines defining the anatomy of research impact.
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