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

Lilian Nkengla-Asi,Olamide Olaosebikan,Rachid Hanna,Delphine Amah,Favour Eforuoku,P. Lava Kumar,Temitope Adejoju Ladigbolu

doi:10.3390/su13063310

Lilian Nkengla-Asi, Olamide Olaosebikan + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063310

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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.

Highlights

Seeds, including botanic seeds and vegetative propagules, are indispensable agricultural inputs that are central to food production, biodiversity conservation, and overall crop yield [1,2,3]
This study focuses on determining the roles of men and women in banana seed sourcing and sharing practices in the banana bunchy top disease (BBTD)-affected communities in Ogun State, Nigeria, compared with communities without BBTD in the neighboring Oyo State
The existing seed sourcing practices of both women and men farmers heighten the risk of disease spread through planting materials within the communities

Summary

Introduction

Seeds, including botanic seeds and vegetative propagules, are indispensable agricultural inputs that are central to food production, biodiversity conservation, and overall crop yield [1,2,3]. Seeds can carry plant pathogens and serve as vehicles for pathogen spread, naturally and through formal and informal seed distribution, from one season to the and within and between geographies [5]. The risk of pathogen spread is much higher for crops propagated using vegetative propagules, such as stems, tubers, corms, and in vitro generated plantlets, due to the simultaneous multiplication of pathogens, especially viruses, along with propagule growth [5]. The global spread of banana bunchy top virus (BBTV, genus Babuvirus, family Nanoviridae)—the causal agent of banana bunchy top disease (BBTD)—is one notorious example of a pathogen that spreads along with infected planting materials and causes widespread devastation where introduced [6].

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