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 Bioversity’s work in the area of sustainable production focuses on understanding the problems of banana producers – especially in coping with disease- and pest-outbreaks and declining soil fertility – and working with them to find and disseminate robust and durable solutions based on an understanding of agro-ecological principles. We conceptualize these approaches in terms of ‘managing diversity in banana production systems’.
Total world production of bananas (including cooking bananas and plantains) is approximately 100 million tons. Of this total, about 87% is produced for local and national markets and for home consumption. Millions of farm households in the subtropics and tropics of the world produce bananas in backyard gardens, in mixed field cropping, in association with trees and also in intensive monocrops. They may consume bananas as a staple food, or sell them as fresh fruit or for processing, to boost farm income. Thousands of researchers and extensionists are working with rural households to improve banana yields, reduce the costs of production, and make this crop a more reliable source of food and income. They use hundreds of banana varieties, traditional and improved, in diverse environments and market conditions. They have developed numerous production technologies, based on traditional knowledge and their own research and innovation.
The role of Bioversity’s banana research group is to contribute to this effort through the identification of priority themes of relevance across regions, through the compilation and analysis of research and development experiences on these priority themes and focusing on the most important production systems, and through the formulation and implementation of cutting-edge projects to fill gaps and open new horizons. Priorities are identified in consultation with the national organizations from 45 countries that participate in the regional banana research networks and with experts in particular disciplines.
Five strategic areas have been identified as broadly relevant for scientists, technicians and farmers and in each of these we are working with partners to develop practical techniques, tools and technical documentation:
Systems for Cultivar Deployment and Clean Seed Multiplication:
New varieties and high quality planting materials provide the basis of a solution to many pest and disease outbreaks and other production problems, yet few countries have effective systems for providing this basic service to farmers. We are working to address specific constraints, build capacity and develop organizational models for banana clean seed systems that can be tailored to respond to diverse needs.
Diagnosing and Managing Soil and Root Health:
A healthy soil provides the foundation for a healthy crop and sustainable productivity, but the elements of a healthy banana soil are hard to define. We are diagnosing both the physico-chemical and biological elements of soil health, using the principles of agro-ecology, we are working with farmers to develop options for improving soil health and fertility.
Priority Pest and Disease Problems:
Pest and disease problems continue to threaten banana productivity everywhere. We are working with specialist researchers and farmers to develop innovative solutions to these problems, based on better use of the diversity of banana cultivars and more effective management of diversity in banana production systems.
Priority Banana Cropping Systems:
Bananas are grown in numerous and highly diverse production systems around the world and each requires solutions that are, to some extent, tailored to the specific circumstances of each. Our challenge is to identify those areas where we can contribute cross-cutting solutions and, where specific work is needed, to target those cropping systems where the maximum number of farmers will benefit from the investment of research effort.
Learning to Design and Manage the Banana Agroecosystem:
In order to achieve sustainable increases in productivity, farmers must learn to manage complex ecological interactions in the banana ago-ecosystem. Our role here is to develop tools and learning resources that can help to make them more effective in this task.
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