Gender Roles in Sourcing and Sharing of Banana Planting Material in Communities with and without Banana Bunchy Top Disease in Nigeria

Lilian Nkengla-Asi, Favour Eforuoku, Olamide Olaosebikan, Temitope Adejoju Ladigbolu, Delphine Amah, Rachid Hanna and P. Lava Kumar
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Lilian Nkengla-Asi: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan PMB5320, Nigeria
Favour Eforuoku: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan PMB5320, Nigeria
Olamide Olaosebikan: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan PMB5320, Nigeria
Temitope Adejoju Ladigbolu: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan PMB5320, Nigeria
Delphine Amah: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan PMB5320, Nigeria
Rachid Hanna: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PO Box 2008 Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon
P. Lava Kumar: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan PMB5320, Nigeria

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) is the most devastating disease of banana and plantain ( Musa spp.). The disease spreads through the use of infected vegetative propagules and the banana aphid ( Pentalonia nigronervosa ) is the virus vector. This study seeks to understand the gender dimensions and sociocultural aspects of banana seed (vegetative propagule) sourcing and sharing practices among men and women farmers, and its influence on BBTD spread and disease control efforts. Data were collected from 300 banana farmers (187 men and 113 women) in BBTD and non-BBTD areas in southwest Nigeria. The results revealed that seed sharing within the communities is a social responsibility with members expected to share banana seed with the needy mainly as gifts rather than sold for cash. Men farmers mostly sourced seed from old fields, while women sourced seed from relatives. Harvesting of banana seed was predominantly the responsibility of men with women as helpers. Both men and women farmers in the non-BBTD area cultivated larger farm sizes and harvested more banana planting material than farmers in the BBTD area. The existing seed sourcing practices among men and women farmers heighten the risk of BBTD spread. Awareness raising on disease spread through infected seeds should consider gender-differentiated roles and social practices to reduce its spread within communities.

Keywords: seed systems; gender; banana bunchy top virus; disease control; vegetative propagation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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