Monday, September 17, 2012

Simple technology supporting farmers to revive banana production in Burundi

Beatrice Bukuru, a member of the 'Tugurukire Kitoki' farmers group
in the group's communal land during a field day 
Beatrice Bukuru, 50, from Kassa village in Muyinga commune, Burundi, is a happy woman. She wasn't so happy three years ago. A deadly strange disease was ravaging her banana, threatening her ability to earn a living and feed her family.  Today, she is even the proud owner of two goats, bought through sales from the crop. 

So what has changed in three years?  Well, she joined a farmers group called 'Tugurukire kitoki' (rehabilitate banana) that has transformed the farming of this important food and staple crop in the region. 

She says the group started when the president of the group came back from training with a few banana plantlets of this new variety that is very high yielding. He also introduced a new technology of rapidly multiplying planting materials which are disease free so the new varieties could be quickly distributed to the other farmers. 

Usually, Beatrice and other small-holder banana farmers plant suckers, - the little banana plantlets growing at the side of the mother plant either from their own existing banana plants or borrowed from a neighbor. This is not only slow, as a plant can only produce about four to five suckers in a year, it also transfers pests and diseases from one farm to another.

However, with the new way of multiplying planting material, known as macro-propagation, a healthy sucker is cut into small pieces which are carefully planted in a nursery and when they are big enough, are transferred to the farms. One sucker if well prepared can produce up to 50 plantlets in three months.

The training on macro-propagation and on improved methods of growing banana were conducted by  a team from the  International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) working under an umbrella initiative that brings together many development partners to support the agricultural sector by the name Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA).  

They are a part of on-going efforts to control the spread of diseases and pest and in particular, the banana wilt and banana bunchy top disease which are spreading rapidly and destroying banana in the great Lakes region. All banana varieties are susceptible to the two diseases hence the need for concerted efforts by all.

According to Emmanuel Njukwe, the partnership associate scientist with IITA, banana is a key staple in Burundi for food and income the diseases were therefore a big threat to the already food insecure country which has a high population density. The diseases are spread by infected planting material, use of infected farming equipment, browsing animals and insects.

One way of getting disease free planting material is the use of tissue culture. However, according to Emmanuel, the farmers did not like the tissue culture bananas much which are small, delicate and require a lot of care. So they turned to macro-propagation and also developed the concept of ‘mother gardens’.

Demonstrating the banana macropropagation technology
during a field day
"We trained the farmers how to treat the suckers by placing them in boiling water for 30 seconds to get rid of pests such as nematodes and weevils. They then remove the sheath to expose the buds and meristem, the growing part of the plantlet, which they cut into small pieces. these are then grown in a nursery whose substrate has also been sterilized to get rid of pests," he said.  "We also help them with testing the mother plant to ensure they are virus free so they do not unknowingly spread the viruses."

The project has also been screening different banana varieties to identify those that can perform well under the local conditions and also meet farmers' preferences.  One such variety is the FHIA variety from and named after the Honduran Agricultural Research Foundation which is Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agrícola (FHIA) in Spanish.

Tugurukire kitoki group has a collective farm where they are growing the new varieties FHIA and other local varieties with macro-propagation, they are able to plant all the banana at the same time and when they are ready for harvesting, call the buyers who come with lorries to collect.  Before the banana were planted with suckers of varying age and size at different times and got ready at interval.

They have opened a collective bank account to save the money from the sale of banana from their collective farm. They use it to pay school feeds for children, buy medicine and cater for other emergencies. The group has also been buying goats for the members to diversify their income and recently Beatrice got two.

Hubert Chauvet, the Country Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) one of the institutions working in Burundi to tackle the banana disease says the macro-propagation technology is cheap and simple enough for farmers to do it themselves. 

He said FAO had supported CIALCA and national partners in the first phase of coping with the banana wilt disease which involved creating awareness to farmers about the disease and control measures which included uprooting and destroying affected banana plants to halt the spread.

 "Now with macro-propagation, farmers are getting planting material fast and the disease situation is now slowly getting under control," he said.


Felix talks to journalists
The Tugurukire kitoki group is supporting other farmers in other parts of the country to embrace this new technology. One such group is Collectif des associations de development dans la commune Kibage (CADRE),  which is an association of 29 farmers. According to their vice president, Kanyakiro Felix, they have also started banana macro-propagation and so far they have four nurseries, multiplying 120 banana suckers of the FHIA variety. The group wants to increase to 6000 suckers and each group in the association to establish their own nursery.

Kanyakiro says with this technology and the training received on how to properly grow banana such as mulching and spacing, their banana production is starting to recover. "We did not have banana. They were destroyed by the disease. We are slowly recovering. And we now even want to go into juice processing."

Njukwe says the project has been very successful due to support from many farmers and the government as well and can be easily replicated to many parts of Africa where the two diseases are spreading rapidly. 

50 comments:

  1. In all works of preservation, restoration or excavation, there should always be precise documentation in the form of analytical and critical reports, illustrated with drawings and photographs. Every stage of the work of clearing, consolidation, rearrangement and integration, as well as technical and formal features identified during the course of the work, should be included. This record should be placed in the archives of a public institution and made available to research workers. It is recommended that the report should be published.
    The following persons took part in the work of the Committee for drafting the International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of The conservation and restoration of Monuments:

    For more information click hare::


    ReplyDelete
  2. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    East Grinstead Accountants

    ReplyDelete
  3. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Crawley

    ReplyDelete
  4. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    East Grinstead Accountants

    ReplyDelete
  5. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Crawley

    ReplyDelete
  6. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Lingfield

    ReplyDelete
  7. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Forest Row

    ReplyDelete
  8. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns,Company and Corporation Tax advice,Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money,reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services :http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Lingfield

    ReplyDelete
  9. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Haywards Heath

    ReplyDelete
  10. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Haywards Heath

    ReplyDelete
  11. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Haywards Heath

    ReplyDelete
  12. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Haywards Heath

    ReplyDelete
  13. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Horley

    ReplyDelete
  14. Black Label London As part of our efforts to make booking escorts in London convenient and simple, clients have the opportunity to apply to book time with one of our gorgeous model escorts online through our website. Send us your booking request and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mileo is instant group messaging application that connects teacher-student, coach-player, leader-follower without number sharing, safe and anonymous.

    Anonymous

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mileo is instant group messaging application that connects teacher-student, coach-player, leader-follower without number sharing, safe and anonymous.

    Anonymous

    ReplyDelete
  17. Mileo is instant group messaging application that connects teacher-student, coach-player, leader-follower without number sharing, safe and anonymous.

    Anonymous

    ReplyDelete
  18. Emails Fresh Leads and Business All Country price Low, Tools Private
    - Email Extractor Private 2016
    - Wordpress Brute Force
    - Extract Phone Number


    For details click blacklistemail

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is an online e-commerce website where customers can purchase mid to high-range fitness accessories, apparel and nutritional supplements. Our incredible team developed this e-commerce website to showcase different categories of apparel, accessories and supplements to promote ease-of-access to our customers. We offer quality products designed for results oriented and effective workout. Even when you're not working out, we have other products and accessories to keep you looking your best and staying motivated.

    Lastly, I started "Workout or Walkout" after I said similar words to someone in a gym one day when I got tired of people spending more time on their phones than they actually spend working out in the gym. I love and encourage phones in the gym for many reasons but if I need to use an equipment and it's not available simply because you choose to use it as a couch to text or chat, then we have a tiny bit of a problem my friend. Workout, Eat healthy; it's a lifetime thing! #workoutorwalkout #stayhealthymyfriends

    For more information please click at wowo

    ReplyDelete
  20. best ed pills non prescriptionImprove every aspect of your sex life! Longer staying power, increased performance & faster recovery.

    ReplyDelete
  21. HTET Result Board of School Education Haryana (BSEH) will declare the result of HTET in January 2018.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Internet Based Testing Instructive Testing Service We expect that unfaltering work, status and mindful evaluation pick a contender's prosperity,INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY,CORPORATE,VOCATIONAL EDUCATION visit site...

    ReplyDelete
  23. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Crawley
    Go to Youtube



    ReplyDelete
  24. V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors and Chartered Certified Accountants, represent an authoritative source on most aspects of tax and specialise in the following: Self-Assessment Tax advice, Self Employed Tax Returns, Company and Corporation Tax advice, Capital Gains Tax advice, Buy-To-Let Property Tax advice, Tax Planning and Tax Consultancy Services. With over 25 years of experience in the business of providing expert tax advice, V P Associates Chartered Tax Advisors offer valuable information to clients to help them save money, reduce and mitigate tax. V P Associates, Chartered Tax Advisors & Chartered Certified Accountants, are the first and foremost specialists in taxation matters. Visit their site for a comprehensive list of services: http://vpassociates.com/

    Accountants Crawley
    Go to Youtube



    ReplyDelete
  25. javascript developers We are professionals in web development for established businesses and start-ups using own team or by building and managing a dedicated development team exactly for your needs.

    ReplyDelete
  26. buy fake telegram subscribers We provide all the Telegram services (increase real & fake members - views posts)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Enjoyed reading through this, very good stuff, thankyou.
    And for more information please click 먹튀.

    ReplyDelete
  28. BUY SPOTIFY PLAYS REAL PLAYS TO BOOST YOUR MUSIC.
    We will promote your tracks and give you very good promotion Buy spotify plays

    ReplyDelete

  29. News Today OIBNews is India's leading network by NDTV and CNN contributors. It has been serving the best out of the mess from World and India.

    ReplyDelete
  30. baanpolball บ้านผลบอล (baanpolball) อัพเดทตลอด 24 ชั่วโมง ราคาบอลวันนี้ วิเคราะห์บอลแม่น ฟรีๆ ทุกคู่ 100% ทีเด็ดบอลวันนี้ 4 คู่ ราคาบอลไหล แบบเรียลไทม์

    ReplyDelete
  31. Online Reputation Repair Reputation Repair Service removes criminal history information and deletes criminal records. Creates positive content that replaces negative search results.

    ReplyDelete
  32. 500 1 million best downloads 1millionbestdownloads.com offers a variety of downloads in several different industries. Our downloads range from general, to software, services and to even making money. These downloads come in many formats from ebooks, to signups, traffic generation, hosting, marketing, finance, arts and entertainment, cooking, investing, employment, games

    ReplyDelete
  33. British shorthair for sale We have been branded as the best cattery for breeding healthy kittens and puppies ready for a home.

    ReplyDelete

  34. canim sohbet Android Dear ChatCanım chat is growing day by day with the android chat service it has given to you and serves you, dear chat lovers, free of charge. You can connect and chat online at any time of the day with your smart devices on our chat site. Anonymous chat is a free chat site that allows you to chat randomly and does not charge any fee or money from our valued chat users.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Casinos Now Compare the best legit online casinos that pay real money including the best crypto casinos, best mobile casinos and the best online casinos in 2021

    ReplyDelete
  36. motherhood CO.MOM is a fun new online magazine and social network community created by moms for moms. Read interesting articles, get advice from our agony aunt, aunt\y anne, learn how to earn an income online with our guru debbie or you can even seek medical advice from our resident physician dr samantha and relax while checking out the latest horoscopes from our trained mystic. Theres even a thriving forum community where moms of the world can get together and enjoy good conversation along with lots of other fun ways to kill some time with a cuppa when taking a break from being super mom at co.mom.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hello, are you seeking for local email marketing services? and unsure of whom to seek assistance from? SMTPGET offers the most affordable SMTP relay services in your area.

    ReplyDelete