STATUS AND CONSTRAINTS OF MUSA SPP. PRODUCTION IN A SUB-HUMID ZONE OF NIGERIA

A survey was undertaken to understand the status of, and contraints to banana and plantain cultivation in an emerging subhumid production zone in Nigeria. A sample size of 116 farmers were considered in the survey. Data were collected from these farmers through the use of structured interview schedule. Percent mean scores and coefficent of variation were used in evaluating the different responses. The results showed that both male (69%) and female (31%) were involved in the production of banana and plantain, although majority (65%) of the studied population had short production experience. Many (61%) of the farmers grew their Musaspp. in the traditional compound farm system, meanwhile 43% had theirs as sole crop within the compound farm. Also, about 9% of the farmers had sole crop of banana and plantain grown outside their compounds. It was observed that only 5% of the farmers had more than 100 plants of banana and plantain, whereas 21% had between 50 and 100 plants, and 74% less than 50 plants. More farmers (55%) grew dessert bananas than those (45%) that grew plantain. As a consequence, 61% of total Musa production in the area was dessert banana, while the remaining 40% was plantain. The identified primary constraints to banana and plantain production in the area were: lack of money for the establishment of the plantation (42%), unavailability of fertilizer to maintain crop yield (24%), scarcity of farm land (23%), long growth cycle of the crop (22%), unavailability of storage facility (22%), and poor soil fertility due to erosion. These findings, discussed in relation to the agro-ecology of Nigeria, may help to choose Musa spp. for the different agro-ecological zones.