Suchergebnisse

Postharvest losses (PHL) result in direct food and income losses to farmers and consumers globally. PHL reduction strategies offer unique opportunities to contribute to sustainable food systems for increased food security and farm incomes for more than 200 million food insecure people in sub-Saharan Africa. Lack of empirical information remains a major challenge to operationalization of PHL reduction strategies in many countries of the region. This paper utilizes cross-sectional data to determine the extent and factors that are influencing postharvest losses in the cooking-banana value chain in Uganda. We find that 14.9% of all the cooking bananas that are produced in Uganda suffer postharvest deterioration along the value chain (7.2% of the bananas deteriorate completely and have no residual value, while 7.7% deteriorate partially and are sold at discounted prices), mostly affecting retailers. At farm level, female headed households experience more losses than those headed by males. Household headship, household size, proportion of land allocated to banana production, and monthly banana production are the principal determinants of PHL at farm level. At retail level, such losses are mainly determined by sex of the vendor and group membership. The findings call for comprehensive and gender-responsive PHL reduction strategies. ; International Fund for Agricultural Development ; European Union ; Peer Review

Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD), an invasive and devastating viral disease, is widespread in banana-producing areas in Sub-Saharan Africa. Recovery of banana production in BBTD-affected areas was undertaken in a research project through the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (CRP-RTB) in eight countries. Understanding household and community dynamics is vital to recovery because decision-making on banana production and resource allocation occur at household level, while opportunity structures for men and women to engage in such work are influenced by social norms expressed both at household and community levels. Studies were undertaken to understand gender norms, practices and experiences in intra- and inter household and community dynamics related to banana farming in BBTD-affected areas. A standardized methodology was applied in all sites including household survey, gender seasonal calendar, daily activity schedule and a community profile. Results from analysis of four cases studies from Burundi, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria indicated that banana is an important crop for both female and male farmers in all pilot sites and considered as both a staple food and a source of income. Men, women and male and female children are all involved in different banana production activities at household level; some mostly done by men assisted by male children (land preparation in DRC (95%), Nigeria (83%), Gabon (82.5%) and Burundi (64%)) while others are mostly done by women assisted by female children (watering, weeding in Kisangani (87%)). Men and women have differential use, control and ownership rights to different types of productive resources within the household which have implications for effective BBTD control and the benefits derived. Insights from the study will be used to develop guidelines for the incorporation of gender-responsive strategies into the design and implementation of BBTD control strategies. ; Peer Review