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 THE TISSUE CULTURED BANANA. THIS IS A SPECIAL VARIETY OF BANANA THAT HAS SEVERAL BENEFITS OVER THOSE TRADITIONALLY GROWN IN THE REGION. THESE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• HIGHER MARKET PRICES DUE TO QUALITY AND WEIGHT
• RESISTANCE TO VIRAL DISEASES
• 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 THE TCB VARIETY THROUGH THE FOLLOWING INITIATIVES:

• GIVEN OUT 6000 TBC PLANTLETS BY MID 2017 TO OUR FARMERS AND SCHOOLS
• 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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