The role of consumers in the value chain is relevant when defining which crops to prefer
During the month of April, the technical team of the Institute for Agricultural Innovation of Panama (IDIAP) that make up the Regional Alliances project for the dissemination of iron-rich beans that is being carried out in Panama, Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, Under the financing of the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology (FONTAGRO) they carried out the application of interviews with Panamanian consumers.
This project led from Panama aims to achieve the adoption of technologies by bean producers and that in turn strengthen the value chain for this item with a high iron content.
That is why the role of consumers in the value chain is relevant when defining which crops to focus on, however, it is important to highlight that it is even more necessary to work on actions that promote good nutrition and inclusion of a great diversity of foods for consumption both in Panama and in the rest of the LAC countries.
As part of the baseline for the project, it is vital to carry out a diagnosis on the consumption of beans in the population. To achieve this task, the technical team was joined by teachers and students from the Nutrition and Dietetics career of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Panama, thus conducting interviews with more than 400 consumers in the cities of Panama, Chorrera and San Miguelito. . In addition, these online interviews continue to be carried out with more consumers in other areas of the country.
The biofortified bean varieties are identified as seeds under the name of IDIAP NUA 24, IDIAP P 09-11 and IDIAP P 13-38, whose iron contribution is more than 43 % of the reference value for this micronutrient and higher when comparing with other conventional bean varieties.
The project is made up of three components: 1) formulation of the baseline; 2) multiplication and scaling of iron-rich bean seeds and 3) implementation of knowledge management and communication strategies. Where, for the third component, it seeks to develop and implement a strategy for knowledge management, communication and transfer to producers, consumers and actors in the bean value chains in each of the project countries, promoting and stimulating demand and consumption of beans rich in iron in the population, with special reference to those in conditions of greater risk or vulnerability.
Link:
https://www.facebook.com/idiap/photos/pcb.6019597041469606/6019596984802945?locale=es_LA
