Plantain / Bannana Cultivation (A case study in West Africa)

Plantain (Musa spp.) occupies a strategic position for rapid food production in Nigeria. It is ranked third among starchy staples. The country's output doubled in the last 20 years. Production, which is concentrated in the Southern part of the country, still remains largely in the hands of small scale farmers who, over the years, have ingeniously integrated it into various cropping systems. Production is male dominated, while women essentially handle marketing. The inadequate knowledge of improved cultural practices of the crop by the farmers, an inefficient system of extension services and skewness of specialization in areas of research are part of the reasons why yield potential of plantain is still low in the country.