Agriculture and the Rural Development, World Bank, Washington, DC, United States; Maruku Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Bukoba, Tanzania; IFPRI, IPGRI
Edmeades, S., Agriculture and the Rural Development, World Bank, Washington, DC, United States; Nkuba, J.M., Maruku Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Bukoba, Tanzania; Smale, M., IFPRI, IPGRI
Banana hybrid use in Kagera Region, Tanzania have been beneficial in that the reduce vulnerability to production losses from biotic pressures. In order to assess, a treatment model is used as well as for the identification of the determinants of adoption and the effects of adoption on expected yield losses from pests and diseases. Meanwhile, the hybrids are high yielding and resistant to pests and diseases that ravaged banana production in the lakes region. It was shown that the intended impact of reducing yield losses to pests and diseases has been achieved, supporting research efforts aimed at developing resistant planting material and the formal diffusion program. Findings from the research showed that there is a need to disseminate new cultivars to sustain the benefits. Using the disease and pest resistant cultivars help farmers reduce dependence on pesticides and fungicides which are costly and bear health risks for farming communities, not to mention degrade the environment.