French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) belong to the Fabaceae family and are bred and cultivated for their pods and seeds. Although the crop has a low consumption rate in the country, it is one of the dominating crops in the export market. In Kenya, they are grown mostly in warm-wet regions like Nakuru, some parts of Kajiado, Thika, Murang’a, Machakos, Uasin Gishu, Western Kenya, Kisumu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Naivasha. There are several varieties of French bean which have different colors, ranging from green, yellow and purple. The commonly grown varieties in Kenya include Samantha, Boston, Serengeti, Amy, Belcampo, Julia, Paulista, Rexas, Lomami, Hawaii, Morgan, Pekera, Picasso, Buffalo, Tokai, Teresa, Gloria, Cupvert, Seagull and Espadia, among others. With irrigation, French beans can be grown throughout the year.
