Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda

Abstract

Formal seed systems aim to provide farmers with high-quality planting material that meets evolving demands and cultivation challenges. East African banana (Musa sp.) systems rely strongly on informal seed exchange. For seed system interventions to have a larger and more sustainable impact in such a context, it is necessary to better understand the informal seed system. We studied the management and replacement dynamics around banana suckers and mats by smallholder farmers in Central Uganda. Data were collected through Focus Group Discussions (n = 4) and semi-structured interviews (n = 23). This study showed that, on average, banana farmers grew 10 different banana cultivars to ensure year-round harvesting and to accommodate multiple consumption and cultural needs. They included cultivars from the formal seed system within their portfolios of banana cultivars while also conserving cultivar diversity. Farmers used a broad array of evaluation criteria to select suckers and preferred to use known sources to assure plant quality. Household characteristics, such as age or wealth, are determinants of mat management and replacement. We concluded that a flexible blend of formal-informal approaches to developing the banana seed system is needed to meet the multiple needs of farm households and to support them in improving productivity and dealing with emerging challenges.

A comparative study on banana seed systems in Mbarara district, western Uganda and Mukono district, central Uganda

“…Yet, farmers producing more than two-third of their bananas for market purposes also kept a high on-farm diversity. This supports statements made in earlier research that farmers have multiple motivations to maintain a high on-farm cultivar diversity and that the adoption of a few 'superior' cultivars in terms of yield is unlikely (Gold et al 2002a, Kilwinger et al 2019. This is also supported by the fact that newly introduced cultivars were adopted by farmers in both areas, but were an addition to the cultivar portfolio rather than a replacement for (local) cultivars.…”

“…In Mbarara this composition is maintained for production reasons, whereas in Mukono farmers also had cultural motivations behind their planting pattern. Reasons for farmers to maintain a high diversity are perceived differences in strength and weaknesses, security by spreading risk, and because of the multiple end uses of banana (Gold et al 2002a, Kilwinger et al 2019. Poorly producing cultivars are sometimes maintained for traditional, cultural or religious uses.…”

Why interventions in the seed systems of roots, tubers and bananas crops do not reach their full potential

“…Prain, Schneider, & Widiyastuti, 2000;Coomes, 2010;Adam, 2014, and banana, e.g. Mulumba, Nkwiine, Male-Kayiwa, Kalanzi, & Karamura, 2004;Lwandasa et al, 2014;Kilwinger, Rietveld, Groot, & Almekinders, 2018. We found no studies of farmer-based yam seed systems, despite the importance of the crop in West Africa and an almost complete absence of a formal seed system.…”

“…For intensive, market-oriented dessert banana, high-quality tissue culture plants are used routinely. Smallholder farmers have varying practices: for example, in Uganda where banana stands are perennial, farmers often replace individual mats and fill gaps with suckers (Lwandasa et al, 2014;Kilwinger et al, 2018), whereas in Cameroon farmers harvest fields planted as part of a shifting cultivation regime for only 2-3 seasons before planting elsewhere (Kanmegne, 2004). Research in banana has shown that banana plants infected with bacterial wilt (Xanthomonas) do not necessarily transmit the disease to all the suckers that emerge from the same mat, creating opportunity to mitigate the incidence through collective action of farmers (Blomme et al, 2014), although other banana pests and diseases such as bunchy top disease and Fusarium wilt are transmitted in suckers with yield threatening consequences for the new field (Jacobsen et al, 2018).…”

“…This complication for a business-approach to the seed transactions is important in Africa and especially in vegetatively propagated crops that are essential for local food security. For these crops it is often considered inappropriate to pay, or ask for cash for planting material (Ngabo, 2015;Kilwinger et al, 2018;Kansiime & Mastenbroek, 2016), although experiences show that this may be partly overcome when dealing with a new variety that is not yet commonly available.…”