East Africa smallholder farmers to benefit from banana breeding pact

A groundbreaking banana breeding project, the Mchare and Matooke Regional Target Product Profiles, has been launched in East Africa, thanks to a collaboration between the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR), and six national agricultural research centres from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania. This initiative, formalized during the East Africa Banana Network Meeting in Kampala, Uganda, aims to develop and disseminate new banana hybrids tailored to the highlands of eastern Africa. By establishing the East African Banana Breeding Network, the project seeks to streamline the breeding process, address specific country needs, and enhance food security and farmer income through the cultivation of improved cooking banana varieties. The network's steering committee, chaired by Rony Swennen of IITA, includes representatives from various research and agricultural organizations across the participating countries, marking a significant step towards improved agricultural practices and outcomes in the region.