Constraints and Sustainable Solutions for Adoption of TC Banana Technology and Marketing

Abstract

Proponents of biotechnology assert that this technology offers enormous opportunities to poor farmers and low-income consumers in developing countries. However, this study has revealed that very little can be accomplished in solving the problems of the rural poor in Africa unless a holistic approach is used to address the problems that they face in maintaining sustainable food production, security, and poverty reduction. The study was conducted to establish the constraints that limited the farmers in Kenya from adopting tissue culture (TC) banana technology. The solutions to these constraints were also examined. The study was done by use of structured research and was carried out in 12 districts of Central and Eastern Kenya where one hundred and seventy farmers were interviewed. In addition seventy-two traders and transporters in 36 markets in the region were also interviewed. The results of the study revealed that the TC banana technology has a great potential to the farming community in Kenya and has enormous provision for extended local market. However, the constraints identified by the stakeholders need to be addressed adequately before the potential is realized.