Agriculture; improved bananas turns farmer to millionaire.

Agriculture has evolved over the years with improved techniques,seed improvement,genetic modification, biotechnology and precision farming. The advantages of these new techniques include new breed and strains, production within a short time with limited capability ,cost reduction through reduction of labor force and most importantly higher profit. The discovery of planting improved seeds and tissue culture tubers have turned many farmers to millionaires.The production of bananas from tissue cultured tubers is one of such agricultural feats that have added value to banana farming and also more money in the hands of farmers. The health benefits of bananas/ plantain can not be overemphasized and this love can be turned to a business venture ,which is equally rewarding. Bananas/ plantain can be packaged raw and fresh or processed and packaged for sale. The business of frying and packaging plantain as snack is another topic entirely that will be discussed later. A recent interview with a farmer with plantain/banana plantation shed some more light on the planting and nurturing of the fruit.There are various species that can be cultivated, that starts fruiting at about 5 months and new varieties are also available courtesy of bio crops which fruit earlier , grow bigger and tastes better. Thinking of starting a plantation? consider this; The soil type should be virgin with added advantage if it has river-silt deposits. The soil does not have too be too deep,because banana /plantain crops are shallow rooted.The best soil type is loamy drained to 4-6 feet deep is recommended, heavy clay soils are unsuitable. The variety/specie depends on choice of the farmer as well as target market,the new improved varieties and imported varieties have been used extensively in the field. Land preparation entails,clearing the land and fell any tree on site; line and stake out so that the plantation will not be haphazard. Dig holes that should be at least 1 .5 x 1.5 x 1.5.,and note the heavier the soil the larger the planting hole. continue Mary Kiptoo from Sambalat who has diversified into tissue-culture bananas under furrow irrigation as an additional source of money and food.“Banana farming requires low capital and is less labour intensive unlike maize or even vegetables,” she explained, noting that farmers in the region share some of the tissue-culture banana tubers for planting. The mother four has about 1,000 banana tubers in her two acres, which she cultivates alongside finger millet, sorghum and cassava for subsistence use.The bananas grow uniformly and mature within eight months thus facilitating easy harvesting and marketing earning farmers a lot of money. Millionaire