Tropicultura (Jan 2002)
Spread of Cooking Bananas (Musa spp., genome ABB) in a Traditional Plantain-Growing Area in Southeast Nigeria
Abstract
The study examined the level and rate of spread of cooking bananas (Musa spp., ABB genome) to determine their success among the farmers. They were introduced in Southeastern Nigeria in the mid-1980s by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) as an interim measure to reduce the incidence of black sigatoka disease on plantains. Data were collected, using a structured questionnaire, from 285 randomly selected farmers in 76 villages. Results of the study indicate that about 60% of the respondents have given out suckers to other fellow-farmers. On average, every "diffuser" distributed 8 cooking banana suckers to 5 new fellow-farmers. Primary and secondary diffusions accounted for 59% and 61% respectively; while inter-village diffusion accounted for about 50% of the movement of the suckers. The study also found that the demand for the crop has been increasing since its introduction in the region. These results indicate a high level of diffusion of the crop considering its newness in the region and that it is well accepted. They also suggest that the crop has the potential of supplementing plantain in food and income generation for the farmers in the region.
