Knowledge for Development

Bananas

The ACP Group of States need to adjust the approach to agricultural production, marketing and distribution to be able to compete in national, regional and international markets. Traditional commodities such as banana are no longer assured of guaranteed prices and ready access to international markets. How then should the ACP region respond? Commodities, traditionally considered as food security crops are now being looked at in a different light. Can scientists assist the countries in making informed decisions to improve efficiency, cost effectiveness, quality and competitiveness?

This study demonstrates that it is possible to effectively control Banana wilt disease (BXW) within 12 months in previously severely infected fields in Eastern and Central Africa, using control options such as single stem removal, suspension of pruning in affected fields, male bud removal and disinfection of tools with fire or sodium hypochlorite. The study, conducted by Jerome Kubiriba, National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda (NARO) focused at rehabilitating banana fields heavily infected with BXW disease in Uganda, Kenya and D.R. Congo. Farmer-managed trials were established in BXW disease hotspots and the control options evaluated included single stem removal, suspension of pruning in affected fields, male bud removal and disinfection of tools with fire or Sodium hypochlorite. BXW disease incidence was reduced by over 80% in 11 months in Kenya and D.R. Congo, resulting in yield recovery by up to 70% within one year. In Uganda, the proportion of farmers that effectively controlled BXW disease increased 5% to 60% within a year in some hotspots. Consequently banana sales recovered up to 30% in some hotspots. This study demonstrates that it is possible to effectively control BXW disease within 12 months in previously severely infected fields in various areas of the region.   (Journal of Crop Protection via ProMusa, 08/2014) 29/10/2014
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juices and ready-to-use pastes for bakery and for new-intermediate products such as flour, starch, and high-value extracted fractions). In the paper, Olivier Gibert, of CIRAD, France, and colleagues describe the many potential innovative uses of rejected bananas. Most rejected bananas goes to local markets as animal feed and processed products. Industrial use of rejected bananas is limited because most bananas are grown for the fresh consumption market. Moreover, low estimated supply of rejected bananas has discouraged attempts to use them in industrial food processing, such as for flours, breakfast flakes, pastes, tomato-sauce thickener, soft beverages sweetener and alcohols. However, the researchers have now estimated that 15 to 25 % of harvested bananas for export, about 4 to 5 MT/year, are discarded and might be a serious source of raw material for the food processing industry.  (Baking Europe, pp. 12-14, 06/2014)  Editor’s comment: Small island states such as Jamaica have been exploring banana value added options (chips, flour and vacuum packed peeled bananas), but there are challenges. See also a recent article in the Jamaica Gleaner.  ]http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110423/business/business4.html?utm_source=K4DNewsletterEN&utm_medium=Link&utm_campaign=K4D_EN_SeptOct2014 29/10/2014
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Scientists at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, have developed new varieties of banana with enhanced beta-carotene content. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. The beta-carotene bananas are now being tested in a nutritional experiment. The (human) trials are to last for six weeks, and conclusive results will be known by the end of 2014. In addition, over the next three years, an elite line of banana plants is to be selected and used in multi-location field trials in Uganda. According to the scientists, banana varieties with enhanced beta-carotene content could be grown by farmers in Uganda, where about 70% of the population survive on the fruit by 2020.  These new varieties could be an important contribution to solving a worldwide health problem. According to the WHO, an estimated 250 million preschool children are vitamin A-deficient, and an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 of these children become blind every year, with half of them dying within 12 months of losing their sight.   (Journal21, 2/07/2014) 02/09/2014
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