Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda

Formal seed systems aim to provide farmers with high-quality planting material that meets evolving demands and cultivation challenges. East African banana (Musa sp.) systems rely strongly on informal seed exchange. For seed system interventions to have a larger and more sustainable impact in such a...

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Autores principales: Kilwinger, Fleur B.M., Rietveld, Anne M., Groot, Jeroen C.J., Almekinders, Conny J.M.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Informa UK Limited 2019
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/103677
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author Kilwinger, Fleur B.M.
Rietveld, Anne M.
Groot, Jeroen C.J.
Almekinders, Conny J.M.
author_browse Almekinders, Conny J.M.
Groot, Jeroen C.J.
Kilwinger, Fleur B.M.
Rietveld, Anne M.
author_facet Kilwinger, Fleur B.M.
Rietveld, Anne M.
Groot, Jeroen C.J.
Almekinders, Conny J.M.
author_sort Kilwinger, Fleur B.M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Formal seed systems aim to provide farmers with high-quality planting material that meets evolving demands and cultivation challenges. East African banana (Musa sp.) systems rely strongly on informal seed exchange. For seed system interventions to have a larger and more sustainable impact in such a context, it is necessary to better understand the informal seed system. We studied the management and replacement dynamics around banana suckers and mats by smallholder farmers in Central Uganda. Data were collected through Focus Group Discussions (n = 4) and semi-structured interviews (n = 23). This study showed that, on average, banana farmers grew 10 different banana cultivars to ensure year-round harvesting and to accommodate multiple consumption and cultural needs. They included cultivars from the formal seed system within their portfolios of banana cultivars while also conserving cultivar diversity. Farmers used a broad array of evaluation criteria to select suckers and preferred to use known sources to assure plant quality. Household characteristics, such as age or wealth, are determinants of mat management and replacement. We concluded that a flexible blend of formal-informal approaches to developing the banana seed system is needed to meet the multiple needs of farm households and to support them in improving productivity and dealing with emerging challenges.
format Journal Article
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institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2019
publishDateRange 2019
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publisherStr Informa UK Limited
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spelling CGSpace1036772025-11-12T05:48:56Z Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda Kilwinger, Fleur B.M. Rietveld, Anne M. Groot, Jeroen C.J. Almekinders, Conny J.M. agriculture biodiversity farmers' attitudes seeds systems suckers musa Formal seed systems aim to provide farmers with high-quality planting material that meets evolving demands and cultivation challenges. East African banana (Musa sp.) systems rely strongly on informal seed exchange. For seed system interventions to have a larger and more sustainable impact in such a context, it is necessary to better understand the informal seed system. We studied the management and replacement dynamics around banana suckers and mats by smallholder farmers in Central Uganda. Data were collected through Focus Group Discussions (n = 4) and semi-structured interviews (n = 23). This study showed that, on average, banana farmers grew 10 different banana cultivars to ensure year-round harvesting and to accommodate multiple consumption and cultural needs. They included cultivars from the formal seed system within their portfolios of banana cultivars while also conserving cultivar diversity. Farmers used a broad array of evaluation criteria to select suckers and preferred to use known sources to assure plant quality. Household characteristics, such as age or wealth, are determinants of mat management and replacement. We concluded that a flexible blend of formal-informal approaches to developing the banana seed system is needed to meet the multiple needs of farm households and to support them in improving productivity and dealing with emerging challenges. 2019-07-04 2019-09-18T12:06:34Z 2019-09-18T12:06:34Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/103677 en Open Access application/pdf Informa UK Limited Kilwinger, F.B.M.; Rietveld, A.M.; Groot, J.C.J.; Almekinders, C.J.M. (2019) Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda. Journal of Crop Improvement 33(4) p. 456-477. ISSN: 1542-7528.
spellingShingle agriculture
biodiversity
farmers' attitudes
seeds
systems
suckers
musa
Kilwinger, Fleur B.M.
Rietveld, Anne M.
Groot, Jeroen C.J.
Almekinders, Conny J.M.
Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda
title Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda
title_full Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda
title_fullStr Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda
title_short Culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central Uganda
title_sort culturally embedded practices of managing banana diversity and planting material in central uganda
topic agriculture
biodiversity
farmers' attitudes
seeds
systems
suckers
musa
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/103677
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