THE CHALLENGE

Bananas are an important food source in Africa. However, increasingly inferior cultivation of existing varieties is impacting yields. Not only do they not produce enough fruit, they are also prone to various diseases.

OUR APPROACH

TO COMBAT THIS PROBLEM, WE HAVE INTRODUCED OUR FARMERS TO NEW VARIETIES OF TISSUE CULTURED BANANAS. THIS METHOD OF MULTIPLYING PLANTING MATERIAL OFFERS SEVERAL BENEFITS OVER THOSE TRADITIONALLY GROWN IN THE REGION. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

• HIGHER MARKET PRICES DUE TO QUALITY AND WEIGHT
• RESISTANCE TO VIRAL DISEASES
• ADAPTABILITY TO VARYING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
• INTRODUCTION OF TBC’S HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT DUE TO A RECENT PLANT DISEASES AFFECTING EXISTING BANANA PLANTS.

SOFDI HAS TAKEN IMMEDATE ACTION IN TRAINING FARMERS ON HOW TO AVOID INFECTION OF BANANA PLANTS AND HAS ALSO INTRODUCED TCB VARIETIES THROUGH THE FOLLOWING INITIATIVES:

• GIVEN OUT OVER 30,000 TBC PLANTLETS SINCE 2015 TO OUR FARMERS AND SCHOOLS
• TRAINED FARMERS IN PRODUCTION / PROPAGATION OF TCB, WITH TRAININGS ONGOING
• LINKED FARMERS TO CERTIFIED SUPPLIERS OF QUALITY TCB PLANTING MATERIAL
• TRAINED A SOFDI FARMER’S GROUP IN THE HARDENING OF TCB SEEDLINGS TO SELL AS PLANTLETS TO SOFDI FARMERS AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR WORK IN THIS ARTICLE:

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