Description
Ricebean is one of the summer legumes grown under diverse conditions ranging from marginal lands to rain-fed tars and drought prone areas in the hills of Nepal. It is noted to be very rich in protein, minerals and vitamins, and has significance as nutritious fodder, green manure, and a crop for soil conservation. Nevertheless, the area of cultivation and utilization of this important legume is gradually decreasing. Lack of awareness on potential nutritional
and economic use value of ricebean and its narrow socio-traditional perceptions amongst most users are observed to be the barriers to its large scale demand and production. Hence, immediate attention for its conservation and utilization is critical to prevent the loss of this multipurpose crop.
This booklet is an attempt to disseminate learning of the LI-BIRD study to raise general awareness among the users, farmers, researchers, students and policy makers. It is envisaged that this initiative will help attract further research and extension work to promote ricebean as a major crop. Moreover, it is hoped to foster collaborative efforts among the key actors resulting into focused programme and policies on ricebean promotion and uses.
