Bananas and Food Security - Bioversity International

128 Les productions bananières / Bananas and food security – Session 1
• To protect the environment by using sustainable production methods.
Strategic points
1. Organise research programmes on all aspects of banana such as improvement, agronomy,
crop protection (weed science, pathology, nematology, entomology, utilisation,
marketing, etc.)
2. Train existing staff in banana research and extension and recruit specialised manpower
capable of shouldering the responsibility.
3. Establish testing sites in various agro-ecological zones of the region.
4. Give due attention to research on banana irrigation agronomy especially in areas
where there is considerable production of the crop.
5. Create links with international organisations providing technical and financial support
for the improvement of the crop.
6. Create the facilities required to conduct research on the crop.
7. Collect the locally available germplasm and acquire exotic material for the screening
of improved cultivars.
8. Government policy should favour the promotion of the crop as it has other crops
recently.
9. Devise ways of multiplying and distributing improved banana cultivars to producers.
10. Conduct research on appropriate cultural practices for the production of the crop in
different agroecological zones, for irrigated and rainfed conditions.
11. Research and adopt sustainable soil fertility management practices such as organic
farming.
12. Integrate the production of livestock with that of the crop to obtain farmyard manure
for the latter.
13. Screen drought tolerant varieties to grow in areas which are prone to drought.
14. Improve existing irrigation facilities.
15. Divert water sources for use for irrigation.
16. Educate farmers on the wise management of irrigation water to avoid the risk of
salinity.
17. Develop and use cultural practices for the prevention and control of pests, diseases
and nematodes on banana.
18. Practice intensive production system for profitable and efficient production of the
crop.
19. Establish agriculture-led industries capable of processing bananas at the cottage
level.
20. Strengthen the links between researchers, extension organisations and farmers for
successful achievement of the goals.
21. Train farmers on the methodology of processing bananas at a cottage level.
22. Organise market channels for banana producers living far from towns.