BANANA PROJECT
Project Leaders: Yona Mbwana, Jasper Mafuru, James Shikobe, FAIDA Mali, ARDI | Region: Arusha | Donor: USAAID/INABAP | Budget: $45,700 | Beneficiaries: 500 initial farmers | 2003-2005
Bananas and plantains have long been a staple food for many countries in Africa. In the last two decades, however, crops have been dramatically reduced due to the black Sigatoka leaf spot disease epidemic. Additional diseases and the lack of finances to purchase fungicides have caused many farmers to desert bananas in favor of other produce. They plant crops that are more reliable, but also lower in nutritional value and not as profitable.
To improve the food and income security of small-scale farmers, ADRA Tanzania, together with research companies in Belgium and South Africa, created a project to supply genetically enhanced hybrids to selected farmers. In October 2002, ADRA contacted the village leaders in the Arumeru district to set up a meeting with the people in order to see who was interested in participating in the project. The decision was made to create demonstration plots at local secondary schools so that villagers could observe the process of planting, upkeep, and outcome of the initial crop of bananas. This allowed the villagers to create an impartial view of the process.
Farmers who were interested in receiving suckers — young plants produced from the initial plant — were trained on how to improve production and given techniques to use in marketing the products from these special disease-resistant plants. At the beginning participants were hesitant, asking questions like: "Will this new variety of trees destroy my original crop?" Now the question is asked, "Why was I not included on the list?" The opportunity to learn firsthand the correct techniques to plant and care for these crops has given the participants a sense of ownership and pride.
The initial 500 farmers each signed an agreement to share the suckers formed in the first year with another farmer who had not been included in the original group, provided they too agreed to do the same. In this way the program will soon spread quickly across the district and even further throughout the whole region. These hybrids have shown to be two to five times more productive than traditional plants, which will provide the farmers with a way to take a step forward.
Association with ARDI (Agriculture Research and Development Institute) insures that the farmers stay on top of any current disease training and pest control. When a new disease is reported, a representative from ARDI will obtain a sample and let the farmers know what they must do to prevent the infection of their plants. A marketing trainer from FAIDA Mali also visits occasionally to help the farmers connect with larger markets.
