Working group participants: Fréderic Bakry, Edson Perito Amorim, Jeff Daniells, Fen Beed, Célestin Niyongere
The group first estimated a biological yield potential for monoculture under best growing conditions of 116 t/ha/year. They then analyzed two cases:
1. Location: Bahia-Brazil (country, zone) - Cultivar name: Prata-Ana Production system: Perennial monoculture under irrigation
2. Location: East Africa (Low land areas): Burundi-Rwanda-Uganda and DR congo - Cultivar name: Kamaramasenge - Production system: Perennial and intercropping system
in terms of factors explaining yield variability in farmer fields. Then, they identified factors linked to market and post-harvest, gender and household resource endowment and trends and changes in markets, climate and disease presence in the same cases. Based on the discussion, they identified the following 8 intervention options which could contribute improved yield and income with applicability across major smallholder production zones. Most important to least important:
1. Social organization of farmers/Community based system to better organize production and marketing.
2. Government support in organization of farmers
3. Diseases diagnostic/quarantine and management
4. Promote the use of clean planting material
5. Develop improved varieties: more productive, resistant to main diseases and of high quality of fruits
6. Improve irrigation skills of farmers
7. Better nutrition of banana plants: Fertilizers, manure and compost
8. Increase awareness of farmers by trainings and feed-back on different topics related to banana production and chain value.
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