Diffusion of promising plantain varieties in Benin
Duration: 01 August 2017 to 31 July 2020
Project information
Aim: Among cultivated plants, banana and plantain are the rare species identified to benefit from global warming because both productivity and suitable lands are expected to increase. Initiatives around plantain are very rare in Benin. The aim of this project “Strategic diffusion and marketing of promising varieties of plantain in Benin Republic” is to promote plantain/banana production and processing to ensure food security and generate income to practitioners.
Objectives: General objective is to ensure intensive production and better marketing of promising varieties of plantain/banana in southern Benin. Specific objectives are:
- Create a pool of knowledge, necessary to guarantee a successful and rapid diffusion of the best productive varieties of plantain;
- Set up a mechanism that ensures the successful diffusion of the most promising varieties of plantain in southern region of Benin;
- Design appropriate practices to produce clean planting material suitable for intensive production of plantain varieties in southern Benin;
- Develop new markets of plantain-derived products at national and regional levels to guarantee better profitability to women processors and traders.
Method: This project will bring together actors from various knowledge backgrounds including practitioners, as well as scientists. They will select promising plantain varieties and produce healthy planting material; design a mechanism for strategic dissemination of materials; develop appropriate processing technologies to deliver plantain-derived products that meet the requirements of national and international markets; and explore markets for new plantain-derived products.
Country: Benin Republic.
Dutch policy goals: Promoting inclusive and sustainable growth in the agricultural sector.
Progress reports
Year 1: The first year, the project has been devoted to create trustworthy partnerships with consortium members and other external partners working toward agricultural transformation and plantain development in Benin, including the various newly established governmental agencies in the project areas. Also, around 3,300 plantain farmers and 65 processors were sensitized and have expressed their willingness to be part of the project. Besides, agro-morphological characterization has started with the collection of seven local and seven imported cultivars from the field. So far, the project can be credited of having identified all plantain growers, the collection of plantain accessions, the existing plantain derived products (flours and chips). Furthermore, their nutritional composition and the functional characterization of flour were assessed, and the cultivar mostly used (Aloga), having identified the position and the role played by women within the various segments of the plantain value chains.
