Challenges and opportunities for sustainable banana-based systems for the African Great Lakes Region

Agriculture is the backbone of the economy in Central Africa. It insures food and income to about 85% of the local population. Low-input subsistence-oriented agriculture is the dominant farming system. At farm level, crop yields are low and well below potential, because of the numerous constraints faced by agriculture: poor inherent soil fertility, soil mining because of low inputs and continuous cultivation as a response to demographic growth, erosion and degradation, pests and diseases, irregular or insufficient rainfall. As food production lags behind population growth, food insecurity lurks… CIALCA is the acronym for “Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa”. Since 2005, the consortium associates three projects, led by respectively TSBF-CIAT, Bioversity International and IITA. It aims at achieving a common goal : “the improvement of livelihoods through sustainably increased system productivity, to enhance income, nutrition security, and the environment” (www.cialca.org). The association of projects working in the same countries (Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo), with the same local partners and towards a common goal, insures cooperation and complementarity and avoids technical and financial duplication (CIALCA Final Report Phase I, 2006-2008, available at www.cialca.org). The IITA-led project focuses on banana, a major cash and food crop in the African Great Lakes Region. Banana was once a sustainable crop, but now, it faces yield declines in the traditional farming system. The objective of the project is to develop and diffuse technologies that improve the sustainability and profitability of banana-based cropping systems in the Region. Improved technologies promoted by the project, include locally adapted natural resource management options, integrated pest management options, introduction of new banana hybrids and improvement of post-harvest technologies (CIALCA Final Report Phase I, 2006-2008, www.cialca.org). Partners of different countries contribute to this global objective: ISAR (Rwanda), IRAZ (Burundi), ISABU (Burundi), INERA (DR Congo), UCL (Belgium), local universities, non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations and private sector partners. Research at UCL covers four areas: (1) study of soil biology, chemistry and physics to identify constraints and impacts on banana yield, (2) evaluation of impact of traditional (mulching, hoeing) or innovative cultural practices (“direct-seeding”, zero-tillage) on yield, (3) evaluation banana/bean and banana/coffee intercrop system, (4) analysis of pathways to disseminate promoted technologies, and encourage local farmers to experiment and adopt them.