PLANTAIN (MUSA SPP.) CULTIVATION IN NIGERIA: A REVIEW OF ITS PRODUCTION, MARKETING AND RESEARCH IN THE LAST TWO DECADES

Plantain (Musa spp.) occupies a strategic position for rapid food production in Nigeria. It is ranked third among starchy staples. The country’s output doubled in the last 20 years. Production, which is concentrated in the Southern part of the country, still remains largely in the hands of small scale farmers who, over the years, have ingeniously integrated it into various cropping systems. Production is male dominated, while women essentially handle marketing. The inadequate knowledge of improved cultural practices of the crop by the farmers, an inefficient system of extension services and skewness of specialization in areas of research are part of the reasons why yield potential of plantain is still low in the country. Contributions of plantain to the income of rural households in major producing areas in Nigeria continue to increase tremendously in the last few years. Unlike some other starchy staples whose demand tend to fall with rising income, demand for plantain increases with increasing income. With the potential for industrial processing of plantain, which has recently been adopted, and the increased interest in production by small and large scale farms in the country, it is believed that Nigeria will continue to be one of the world’s largest producers of plantain.