Community training manual on macro-propagation using detached corms

Within the framework of a Bioversity International project titled “Addressing micronutrient deficiencies in sub –Saharan Africa through Musa – based foods”, banana varieties rich in vitamin A originally from outside East and Central Africa were introduced in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. To increase the availability and quality of planting material in communities, training on macro-propagation using detached corms was conducted in project sites. This manual uses a training of trainer approach to cover the different actions and processes required to successfully multiply banana planting materials using a range of available materials

Recipes for vitamin A-rich bananas: developed for South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Recipes were developed through a participatory process with banana farmers in South Kivu, DRC to incorporate the Vitamin A-rich bananas and improve the nutrient quality of the meals. Recipes are applicable among banana producing and consuming regions of Eastern Africa. The Vitamin A-rich bananas mentioned in these recipes are naturally rich in vitamin A and they are from the countries in the table

Agronomic performance of provitamin A-rich banana cultivars in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Banana researchers have been evaluating the performance of high provitaminA banana cultivars to Vitamin A deficiency in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study evaluated the agronomic performance of six provitamin A-rich banana cultivars originally from outside Burundi and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Growth and yield parameters were collected for the first, second and third crop cycles. Results revealed that growth and yield parameters were significantly affected by the interaction between sites and cultivars. The most promising cultivars in terms of yield were ‘Apantu-AAB’, ‘Lahi-AAB’, ‘Lai- AA’, ‘Bira-AAB’ and ‘Pelipita-ABB’ across all sites and crop cycles. These evaluations provide hard evidence of the high potential for adoption of the most promising cultivars by farming communities

Recettes pour les bananes riches en Vitamine A: Développées pour le Sud Kivu, République Démocratique du Congo

Les recettes ont été dévelopées à travers une approche participative avec les cultivateurs du bananier du Sud Kivu, en RDC, pour incorporer les bananes riches en vitamine A dans les repas et améliorer leur qualité nutritionnelle. Ces recettes sont applicables dans les régions de l'Afrique de l'Est qui produisent et consomment la banane. Ces bananes mentionnées dans ces recettes sont naturellement riches en Vitamine A et sont originaires des pays se trouvant dans ce tableau

Comparative analysis of the sensory acceptability of introduced Pro-Vitamin A-rich bananas in Eastern Africa

The wide banana diversity and reported high Pro-Vitamin A carotenoid levels in varieties originally outside Eastern Africa that are agronomically viable for the region indicates potential for banana in mitigating vitamin A deficiency. Materials and methods – This study analysed sensory evaluation results of Pro-Vitamin A-rich bananas (pVABs) and local varieties in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, and Uganda using principle component analysis and factor analysis of mixed data to determine regional preferences and their implications on acceptability and promotion strategies in the region. Results and discussion – Acceptability varied with cooking method and site. pVABs acceptability was closer to that of local plantains and local plantains had a stronger association with South and North Kivu sites in DRC and Burundi compared to Tanzania and Uganda. Both local EAHB and plantains were highly acceptable and in contrast to each other. pVABs ‘Bira', ‘Apantu' and ‘Lahi' showed high potential acceptability across the four countries. Conclusion – Adoption of new varieties can potentially be hastened when their attributes are closely aligned to that of highly acceptable, predominant local varieties. Findings suggest a strong influence of socio-cultural settings including variety perception and preparation methods. Promotion of pVABs will benefit from country/site strategies that identify niche markets for each group and specific varieties along with the preferred cooking methods

Banana seed exchange networks in Burundi - linking formal and informal systems

Seed system network analysis can reveal exchange connections between stakeholders and test scenarios such as those of seed systems shocks. We investigated the seed exchange network structure, disease surveillance risk, and gender contribution in Burundi, under two banana disease risk scenarios. Two sites where banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) is endemic in Cibitoke Province were compared with a site free of the disease in Gitega Province. All sites had formal seed interventions using community nurseries. A quantitative survey on seed sharing was done followed by a qualitative evaluation through focus group discussions. Banana seed sourcing options were fewer in the disease-free site, which also had higher cultivar diversity. Most farmers sourced seed informally within a three-kilometer radius. Seed sharing within and between villages was based on social and family linkages, especially for women. The interaction between the formal system and informal seed exchange was more active where new cultivars, or better seed quality was expected. The BBTD endemic region had lower seed quality assessment stringency. Farmers used both direct mother plant assessment and seed source reputation in seed evaluation. The formal banana seed systems are sources of new varieties, and trusted for clean seed but the informal system was still used as a main source of seed, especially local cultivars. Assessing disease surveillance scenarios shows women in a weaker position for healthy seed acquisition. Identifying the roles of individuals in seed systems can support decision processes for seed interventions in vegetatively propagated crops

The effectiveness of consistent roguing in managing banana bunchy top disease in smallholder production in Africa

The removal of infected individuals is a common practice in the management of plant disease outbreaks. It minimizes the contact between healthy individuals and inoculum sources by reducing the infectious window of contaminated individuals. This requires early detection and consistent removal at landscape scale. Roguing of mats with symptoms of banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) in Cavendish banana production systems has been tested in Australia, using trained personnel, but has never been tested in smallholder systems. We studied the effectiveness of long-term consistent roguing in prolonging the productivity of banana orchards under smallholder farming systems in highland banana and plantain dominated production systems in Africa. We assessed the possibility of low-risk seed sourcing from the managed plots. Roguing reduced BBTD incidence to 2% in managed farmer fields and to 10% in experimental field plots, while a nonmanaged field eventually collapsed in the same period. With roguing, new infections decreased monthly compared to an exponential increase in a non managed field. The emergence of new infections in both managed and non managed farms followed a seasonal cycle. BBTD managed plots were a source of low-risk seed for replacing the rogued mats in the same fields, but perhaps not safe for use in nonendemic areas. We conclude that it is possible for smallholder farmers to recover and maintain banana productivity with rigorous roguing, which would entail early identification of symptoms and early removal of diseased mats. Studies are needed on the intensity of roguing under different disease and production conditions

The effectiveness of consistent roguing in managing banana bunchy top disease in smallholder production in Africa

The removal of infected individuals is a common practice in the management of plant disease outbreaks. It minimizes the contact between healthy individuals and inoculum sources by reducing the infectious window of contaminated individuals. This requires early detection and consistent removal at landscape scale. Roguing of mats with symptoms of banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) in Cavendish banana production systems has been tested in Australia, using trained personnel, but has never been tested in smallholder systems. We studied the effectiveness of long-term consistent roguing in prolonging the productivity of banana orchards under smallholder farming systems in highland banana and plantain dominated production systems in Africa. We assessed the possibility of low-risk seed sourcing from the managed plots. Roguing reduced BBTD incidence to 2% in managed farmer fields and to 10% in experimental field plots, while a nonmanaged field eventually collapsed in the same period. With roguing, new infections decreased monthly compared to an exponential increase in a non managed field. The emergence of new infections in both managed and non managed farms followed a seasonal cycle. BBTD managed plots were a source of low-risk seed for replacing the rogued mats in the same fields, but perhaps not safe for use in nonendemic areas. We conclude that it is possible for smallholder farmers to recover and maintain banana productivity with rigorous roguing, which would entail early identification of symptoms and early removal of diseased mats. Studies are needed on the intensity of roguing under different disease and production conditions