An Economic Assessment of Banana Genetic Improvement and Innovation in the Lake Victoria Region of Uganda and Tanzania

Melinda Smale · W. Tushemereirwe

ian. 2007 · Research report (International Food Policy Research Institute) Cartea 155 · Intl Food Policy Res Inst

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This report assesses the impact on smallholder farmers of technology options developed by Uganda's National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) to improve the productivity of the East African highland banana, a major crop in Uganda and Tanzania. The contributors survey an array of options either currently practiced or under development, including improved soil fertility management practices, conventional banana improvement, and transgenic banana cultivars. Their survey produces a number of findings with important implications for banana production: a recently developed banana hybrid adopted in Tanzania reduced the vulnerability of Tanzanian households to yield losses from pests and disease; a strong network of social ties among farmers facilitates the spread of best soil fertility management practices through farmer-to-farmer exchange; and transgenic bananas currently being developed could have pro-poor impact. Drawing on simulations of the economic benefits of these and other technology options, the contributors conclude that the current strategy endorsed by NARO, of combining conventional and transgenic approaches to mitigate the biotic pressures that cause major economic losses, is essential for sustaining banana production systems. The report serves as a valuable baseline for researchers and others interested in measuring the effectiveness of crop improvement programs.