A guide to growing bananas in the eastern African highlands

Abstract

Bananas and plantains ~re some of the most rmportant food crops 1-n the world. Grown principally in developing tropical cOLmtries, the total annual production of bananas and plantains is 85.5 million tonnes. There are two main types of bananas- dessert bananas and cooking bananas. While dessert bananas are exported to Europe, the United States and Japan (9 million tonnes armually), cooking bananas are an important carbohydrate source in developing cow1tries.Bananas are the largest herbaceous plant. The fruit is a rid1 source of carbohydrate (35%), fibre (7%), minen1 ls (potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, calcium and iron) and vitamins (A and C) (Table 1). While desse.rt bananas are consumed direcUy after ripening, cooking bananas are boiled, roasted, fried, steamed, baked, brewed or dried and ground into flour (Table 2). Dried banana plant sheaths are woven and used for thatching, making ropes, cots, bandages, hats, ornaments and as shading. The pseudostem fibre is used for fishing nets, cattle feed and mulch.