Understanding the production and sales determinants of haricot beans (phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the western highlands of Cameroon

Haricot beans (Phaseolus vulgaris l.) is among the food crop grown in Cameroon for food security due to its high nutritional value and income earning abilities. Moreover, it is also a tradable as its value chain extend from Cameroon to neighboring countries thus an important foreign exchange earner. However, most rural farmers have not exploited its full potential due to some supply side constraints such as production and agronomic shortcomings as well as demand side constraints such as suboptimal markets and sales conditions. This research therefore focuses on some of the factors influencing farmer's production and sales of haricot beans in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. Two hundred farmers from 24 villages participated in the study. The key findings indicated that most of the farmers were advanced in age and married with low educational attainment. Intercropping system, rainfed farming, lack of access to information negatively influence the production of this crop. So too was the long value chain, the adverse on-farm sales period, negatively influenced farmers income. It is therefore recommended that development interventions should emphasis on access to timely information using tools such as "talking" smart phone applications and social media to enhance production and the accrued monetary benefits.