An Innovative Project for Food Security
The Project
In southern Benin, fruit cultivation thrives thanks to a constant water supply. However, growing fruit is a significant challenge in the drier north, making fresh fruit scarce. Apart from mangoes, which are only available for three months each year, the north needs access to fresh fruit.
Fortunately, water recycling provides a solution. With the “Every Woman a Banana Plant” project by the Hubi & Vinciane Foundation, bananas – precisely the POYO variety – can now grow in the north. Bananas are rich in minerals and nutritious for children and adults, making them a valuable addition to a region where fresh fruit was previously rare.
Objectives
The project aims to provide access to high-quality, nutritious fruit while respecting the environment.
Project Description
Since its launch in 2018, the project has reached sixty villages across the Tchaourou, Parakou, and N’dali communes. The POYO banana was chosen for its disease resistance and suitability for the local climate. Selected participants, mainly women, received training in banana cultivation and planting techniques.
Supported by agricultural experts, they were given their first banana shoots and learned to plant them near their showers to reuse wastewater. With guidance from Professor Rony Swennen of KU Leuven, a world-renowned banana expert, the women were well-prepared for successful harvests.
After the first harvest, the women learned to process their bananas into products like flour and chips to extend their shelf life. To ensure the project’s sustainability, we also trained growers specializing in producing and selling banana shoots.
Results and Evolution
More than 20,000 banana plants have been distributed to nearly 10,000 households. Since 2019, each woman harvests a bunch of bananas weighing almost 20 kilos every six to eight months. Part of the harvest feeds their families, while the remainder is processed or sold. The project produces over 400 tons of bananas annually, ensuring food security and strengthening these women’s economic position.
In March 2018, 504 banana shoots were donated to 179 people; among them 172 women from the intervention zone of the Hubi and Vinciane Foundation.
In the autumn of 2017, the Hubi & Vinciane Foundation introduced a programme for growing banana plants in the villages of the Borgou region.
I am 35 years old, I am SERO Christine married and mother of 4 children and I live in the village of Korobororou.