Assessment of pre-harvest losses of banana and the social wellbeing of farmers in Boyo Division, North West Region of Cameroon

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue III, March 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Assessment of pre-harvest losses of banana and the social wellbeing of farmers in Boyo Division, North West Region of Cameroon

Nkwain K. T.^*1, Odiaka E. C.², & Ikwuba A. A.^3
1Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER), Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria
²Department of Agricultural Extension and Communication, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
³Department of Sociology, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria

Abstract: The study assessed pre-harvest losses of banana and its effect on the social wellbeing of farmers in Boyo Division. It have as objectives to; assess banana production systems in Boyo division, examine the extent of pre-harvest losses of banana in Boyo division, and assess the effect of the losses on the social wellbeing of the farmers. The study employed multi-stage sampling techniques to select 380 respondents from three out of four Sub-divisions in Boyo Division. Data was obtained from the respondents with the aid of Questionnaire, Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews. The data obtained was analysed using descriptive statistics and relational content analysis. The results revealed that majority of banana farmers practiced banana-coffee intercrop with farm sizes ranging from 0.1-4 hectares. Majority of the producers (87%) were smallholders’ farmers. The results further revealed that during the 2019/2020 cropping cycle, an estimated amount of 89,272 banana suckers were planted/maintained, 61,055 plants harvested, while 28,217 plants were lost at pre-harvest stage. Most of the losses (21-30%) were recorded in the banana-coffee intercrop system. These quantity lost subjected a significant proportion, 81% and 59% of the farmers’ households to food shortages, inability to access good health facilities and societal commitments. The study therefore, concludes that pre-harvest losses of bananas significantly affect the social wellbeing of the farmers and recommend that intercropping should be reduced and improved cultivation practices provided to the farmers.

Keywords: Pre-harvest losses, Social Wellbeing, Production systems, Banana and Boyo Division

I. INTRODUCTION

Pre-harvest losses of bananas affect the social wellbeing of farmers in Africa especially smallholders’ farmers who form 90% of the producers [1]. Musa sapientum generally known as bananas or desert bananas are staple food crops to many people in Africa [2, 3]. According to [3], the per capita consumption of banana in Cameroon as well as Uganda and Rwanda is estimated at 200kg. This value is sometimes exceeded especially in rural areas where bananas are cultivated and consumed by almost all the households. Bananas are equally considered as cash crops in many producing countries [4, 5].

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