Francis’ beans bring hope

By ROSELYN ELLISON
THE name of Francis Bill, 52, of Kairuru Island in Wewak, East Sepik is synonymous with the California black-eyed beans so much in demand in East New Britain where he lives today.
He was 10 in 1978 when he moved to ENB to live with his brother who was a primary school teacher. His brother was teaching at the Maso Community School (now primary) in the Melkoi LLG of Pomio where Francis did Grade Four to Six.
He completed Grade Seven to 10 at the Palmalmal High School (now secondary school). He dropped out of school and returned to Maso.
“After completing Grade 10 in 1984, I stayed at home doing nothing.”
He married a girl from Maso in 1993 and had two sons.

“ I wanted to plant a new crop that will attract more buyers.”

“To support my small family, we moved to Warangoi in the Sinivit LLG after the twin volcanic eruptions in 1994. I was given a reserve block at the back of Warangoi Secondary School by one of my friends.”
Francis immediately started farming the land growing vegetables and kaukau which he sold at the Kokopo market and supplied to schools including Warangoi.
“I struggled to make a living so that I can support my small family. I wanted to plant a new crop that will attract more buyers.”
One day, he met and shared his dream with the programme manager of the New Zealand Volunteer Service Aboard Johannes Gambo. He was impressed with Francis’ determination to make a living in agriculture and suggested to him to try planting the California black-eyed bean. He gave him 1kg of seedlings to start off with.
After three months, Gambo visited the farm and was surprised to see how well the beans had flourished.
“Gambo was very impressed when he saw my California bean farm. He told me that when I harvest the first beans to give him some. I took 6kg of beans to Gambo and he paid me K72.”
That was the start.
The bean is similar to pulse which is in the same family as coffee and categorised under the cowpea beans family. It has two types in the cowpea beans family – the black-eyed and brown bean.
It can play a significant role in improving nutrition and enhancing food security as well as providing livelihood to farmers.
It is one of the multibillion kina crops on high demand in the other part of the world such as Canada and some Asian countries.
It takes only three months to mature. It is dried before the seeds are removed and stored away.
The demand for the crop is high with the selling price around K12 per kg today. Francis has already sold more than 12 bags.
He plans to introduce the bean to farmers in Pomio district and the province.
Francis is happy with the fruits of his labour and thanks Gambo for introducing him to a new crop that is a earning him around K2,000 a week.
Dropping out of school is not the end of the world as there many other opportunities presenting themselves to those who are willing to work hard and persevere. Francis knows.