Innovation in banana cropping systems

Some 80% of the Tanzanian population depends on agriculture for a living. In the North-West, near Lake Victoria, banana is the most important staple crop. The majority of production however is through subsistence farming rather than commercial production. By introducing new banana varieties and providing training on technical management as well as marketing skills, the Belgian Banana cropping project aimed to improve the livelihoods of banana farmers in the region. After four years, the results are visible: banana bunches are twice as big and farmers are selling the surplus to other regions in Tanzania and even abroad.