Banana Value Chain Development

IPMS Experience in Metema

Kahsay BerheMarket-Oriented Smallholder Development: IPMS

Experience-Sharing Workshop

ILRI, Addis Ababa, 2-3 June 2011

Outline

Introduction Initial interventions Follow up, observations and lessons Actions taken Current status Outstanding challenges Opportunities Summary

Why banana?

Suitable agro-ecology

Adequate perennial rivers

Poor quality local cultivar

Willing farmers

Good potential market because it can effectively compete with the high priced banana coming from Arba Minch

…and the most important reason was

Introduction of banana

Introduced the desired cultivar (Dwarf Cavendish) to a willing farmer and OoA nursery

Organized field days to raise awareness which created demand

Introduction of banana……

Farmers contributed money to purchase suckers

Facilitated the purchase and transport of suckers along with OoA

From introduction to expansion

Training of DAs (ToT) banana production  by a senior regional BoA staff

Women and youth groups organized to establish banana plantation

Farmer field days/festivals

Audio visual “irrigated banana development in Metema” used to spread knowledge to farmers in other PAs

Annual irrigation day

Suitability map prepared

Enabling environment

Created market contacts with traders in Gondar and Bahir Dar

Farmer to farmer sucker supply

Farmer to farmer sucker supply

Continuous follow-up, observing, learning …

Farmers purchased many water pumps

Farmer to farmer sucker supply system well established– no need for external inputs

Demand for suckers from neighboring Woredas increased

Banana is currently grown in many neighbouring woredas and more than 75% of the PAs in Metema

Ready markets for banana from seasonal laborers

Farmers started integrating livestock with banana

Continuous follow-up, observing, learning …

Difficulty in transporting banana during rainy season

Ripening of banana became critical to marketing

Gondar market required volumes higher than can be produced by individual farmers

Some diseases appeared

Some groups failed due to poor management

Some water pumps failed

Cultivation around river banks caused erosion

Banana cultivation around river banks

Actions taken

Trained farmers in pump repair by OoA water pump expert

Facilitated linkages between banana producers and private pump repair services

Regular field visits made by experts

Facilitated linkages between farmers and agrochemical dealers

Facilitated ripening training on “Chella” house techniques

Underground ripening

Aboveground ripening

Commercial “Chella” house ripening

Actions taken…

Formed marketing groups for collection, transport, and sale

Made linkages with EHDA and Bioversity International for future technical support and marketing

Facilitated sale of suckers to neighboring Woredas

Conducted scaling up/out training to administrators and OoA experts at zonal level

Made advisory visits to neighboring Woredas

Demonstrated river bank stabilization using various fodder species

Current status

Linkages with private pump repair services and agrochemical shops well established and functioning

Adoption of river bank stabilization additional source of feed for livestock fattening and apiculture development in some areas

“Chella” house in Gondar opened by one trader but closed because of lack of continuous supply and volume

Banana farmers near small towns and seasonal labor markets are well established – some women opened retail shops

Few farmers with poor road access to markets abandoned banana production

Outstanding challenges

Penetration of Gondar markets and beyond requires Strong collective action to increase volume Improvement of road infrastructure Changes in the existing marketing arrangements

needed Possible water shortage because of increased banana

production Panama disease – a potential threat

Opportunities

The regional government has given more attention to irrigation and horticultural development in Metema which is expected to help solve bottlenecks in banana production

Banana introduction was instrumental in the broader horticulture development in Metema

Further exploration of synergy between irrigated banana and fattening

Export potential

Summary

Resource based

Participatory and demand driven

Market orientation

Business principles

Value chain considerations

Continuous engagement

Technologies alone are not enough to bring about development but value chain approaches

Thank you