The economic impact of bean disease resistance research in Honduras

This paper presents evidence of recent adoption rates of disease resistant bean varieties (RVs), the farm-level benefits of RV adoption, and the ex post rate of return to disease resistant bean research in Honduras. Results from a farm-level survey in 2001 in the two principal bean-producing regions of the country show that 41–46% of bean farmers (depending upon the season) have adopted an RV, and that adoption is neutral with respect to farm-size and market orientation. An expected utility framework was used to estimate the farm-level benefits of RV adoption, using a combination of experimental trial and farm-level survey data. Adopters gain the equivalent of 7–16% (depending on the variety) in bean income from the yield loss averted through RV use. The ex post rate of return to disease resistant bean research in Honduras from 1984 to 2010 is 41.2%.