The Banana Productivity Improvement Project (BPIP) in collaboration with the Taiwan Technical Mission and local expert Julius Polius last week proved to banana farmers that bunch size, bunch to box ratio and productivity can increase with adherence to best agronomic and good agricultural practices in the Woodland region – an area notorious for producing small bunch sizes.
The exercise took place at a field day on a demonstration plot established in Woodlands. From the inception of the BPIP officers noticed that bunch size was small and productivity in that region was generally low. The observation was confirmed by a productivity survey carried out by the Project. Earlier this year in collaboration with the Taiwan Technical Mission supported by local expert Agronomist/Soil Scientist Julius Polius, a two acre demonstration plot was established on a farmer’s holding with the aim of demonstrating to farmers that adherence to the recommended husbandry and agronomic practices can result in bigger bunch sizes and an overall increase in productivity.
Whereas previously that farm produced an average bunch size of 5-6 hands, the first crop from the demonstration plot yielded an average bunch of 9-10 hands.
In an extensive discussion, Agronomist Julius Polius and Taiwan Banana Expert Johnson Wu went over in detail all the practices employed to obtain better yields. They advised farmers to get a good understanding of their local environment- their soil pH, nutritional status and encouraged farmers to adhere to the recommended agronomic practices.
