IITA Annual Report 2010
With the proper use of fertilizer coupled with modern farming techniques, it is possible to double the yields of African bananas. Photo by JT Oliver, IITA.
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“The application of fertilizers not only increases bunch weight but also shortens the crop cycle so the plants produce more bunches in a year”, says van Asten. However, the study also found that less than 5 percent of the farmers apply fertilizer on their banana crop. The farmers cited high costs, erratic supply, and inconvenient packaging as the main reasons for not using fertilizers. They also indicated the lack of access to credit facilities, limited knowledge on fertilizer use, and the perceived negative effect on soil quality and on the taste of the bananas. To debunk the latter, a related farmer sensory evaluation that we conducted with Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization showed that fertilizer use not only increased yields, but also improved the quality of the fruit to make ‘matooke’ – a popular local delicacy made from steamed bananas. The results of the evaluation indicated that fertilizer treatment actually improved the appearance, odor, texture, and overall acceptability of the steamed bananas. Although the study showed proof of the positive effect of fertilizers on banana production, van Asten cautions that fertilizer use has to be very strategic. For example, the practice only becomes more profitable when it is specific to a crop and a region, and targeted at only those nutrients that are most deficient.