"Objectives: In the late 1980¿s and early 1990¿s much of Rwanda, western Kenya and southwest Uganda experienced recurrent bean crop failures, which resulted in a declining trend in bean production. The latter was associated with increase in incidence and severity of root rots. In response to requests by farmers and local leadership for management solutions, research activities were developed with a broad objective to reduce on-farm yield losses due to root rots. Specific objectives were to develop, make available to farmers and facilitate adoption of promising management technologies that could be applied in an integrated manner."