BANANA- MAKE YOUR FARMERS PEACEFUL

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• Banana growers in Mysuru suffer due to price crash | Mysuru News - The Times of India
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• Banana farmers can receive help through government support programs, access to financial aid like loans and subsidies for things like irrigation and tissue culture, and improved farming techniques for soil management, irrigation, and pest control.
•  Organizations also offer training on post-harvest practices, marketing, and sustainable techniques to enhance yields and profitability.
•  Government and financial support
• Subsidies: Programs like the National Horticulture Board (NHB) offer subsidies on infrastructure such as drip irrigation, cold storage, and post-harvest technologies.Schemes: The MIDH (Sub-Mission on Micro Irrigation) scheme supports activities like banana tissue culture and marketing infrastructure.
• Loans: NABARD and state agricultural departments provide access to loans for banana farming, often with subsidies.
• Market infrastructure: Support is available for setting up cold storage, ripening chambers, and other market infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses. 

Improved farming techniques 

• Soil management:
  • CONDUCT SOIL tests to determine nutrient levels and pH before planting.
  • Improve soil structure and fertility by incorporating organic matter like compost or manure
  • .Practice crop rotation, green manure, and cover cropping to improve soil health and prevent degradation.

• • Irrigation:
    • Use drip irrigation to deliver water directly to the roots, which saves water and improves efficiency.
    • Ensure consistent moisture but avoid over-watering to prevent root rot.
  • Pest and disease control:
    • Practice good farm sanitation, such as removing dried leaves and burning infected plant materials.
    • Implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce reliance on chemical inputs.
    • Monitor for pests like corm and stem weevils and manage them with appropriate methods. 
  Post-harvest and market support
  • Training: Receive training on proper harvesting techniques to maintain high quality.
  • Storage: Utilize post-harvest infrastructure like cold storage to reduce losses and improve marketability.
  • Marketing: Learn strategies for packaging, sorting, grading, and accessing better markets.
  • Sustainability: Some organizations focus on linking farmers to markets for sustainable and organic produce, which can lead to better prices. 
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  • Banana farmers in India can mitigate losses from floods and wind through proactive on-farm measures, enrollment in government-sponsored crop insurance schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), and applying for post-disaster state-specific relief packages. 

    Proactive Measures

    Implementing the following measures before and during monsoon seasons can help minimize damage: 

    • Improve Drainage: Ensure well-regulated drainage systems are in place (channels, ditches, or pipes) to divert excess water away from the fields and prevent waterlogging, which suffocates plant roots.
    • Use Windbreakers: Plant trees, bushes, or shrubs around the perimeter of the field to act as natural barriers and reduce the impact of strong winds.
    • Provide Adequate Support: Stake plants with string or twist-ties to help them remain upright and stable, especially those with large leaves and heavy bunches that are susceptible to breaking under wind and rain.
    • Apply Organic Mulch: Use a layer of organic materials (dried leaves, straw) around the crops to reduce soil erosion, maintain soil moisture, and protect plant roots from heavy rainfall.
    • Strategize Cultivation: Adjust planting schedules to allow crops to develop robust root systems before the peak monsoon season, enhancing their ability to withstand adverse weather. 

    Compensation and Insurance Schemes

    Financial support is primarily available through insurance and state disaster relief funds: 

    • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): This central government-backed crop insurance scheme provides comprehensive risk coverage against crop damage from pre-sowing to post-harvest due to non-preventable natural risks, including floods, cyclones, and storms. Farmers can enroll through their nearest bank branch, Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society (PACS), or the official PMFBY portal. The scheme is voluntary for non-loanee farmers.
    • Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS): This scheme aims to mitigate financial loss due to anticipated crop loss resulting from adverse weather parameters (like rainfall, temperature, frost).
    • State-Specific Disaster Relief: State governments often announce relief packages and increased compensation amounts for horticulture crops like bananas after major weather events. The compensation amount varies by state and the extent of damage. Farmers must report losses to local authorities or the horticulture department immediately (usually within 48-72 hours) for a joint assessment.
    • Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): This scheme provides assistance for an integrated package of practices, including drip irrigation, which promotes climate resilience in agriculture and can improve plant growth and yield, making them more resilient to climatic variability. 

    Actionable Steps for Farmers

    1. Enroll in Crop Insurance: Ensure your banana crop is insured under PMFBY or RWBCIS before the monsoon season starts by visiting your bank or the PMFBY portal.
    2. Implement On-Farm Practices: Invest time and effort in proactive measures like improving drainage and using windbreakers.
    3. Document Damage: In the event of damage, document the losses with photos/videos and report to the local agriculture/horticulture department or insurance company representative immediately to facilitate the claim process. 
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    5. Value-added products from bananas include food items like chips, flour, puree, juice, jam, and vinegar, as well as non-food items such as paper and fertilizer from the pseudostem. These products extend the shelf life of bananas and utilize all parts of the plant, from the peel to the pseudostem. Examples of food products are raw banana flour, banana fig, banana-based health drinks, and cookies. 

       Food products

       • Chips and crisps: Made from raw or ripe bananas through frying or vacuum frying.
       • Flour: Raw banana flour can be used as a gluten-free alternative and for making various baked goods, baby food, and health mixes.
       • Puree and powder: Puree can be used for jams, juices, and other products, while the powder is a natural sweetener.
       • Drinks: Banana juice, RTS (ready-to-serve) juice, and health drinks can be produced.
       • Confectionery: Products include jams, jellies, fruit bars, and cookies.
       • Vinegar and wine: These can be made from overripe bananas and banana peel.
       • Pasta and noodles: Banana flour can be incorporated into pasta and other ready-to-eat products.
       • Other: Banana pickle (from the blossom), dried banana figs, and candy are also options. 

       Non-food products

       • Paper and boards: The pseudostem can be processed to create handmade paper and boards.
       • Fibers and textiles: Fibers from the pseudostem can be used for making fabrics.
       • Fertilizer: Liquid organic fertilizer can be made from the pseudostem sap.
       • Biogas: Banana peels can be used to produce biogas. Value Added Products from Banana Pseudostem - rvskvv
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       • https://www.google.com/search?q=Banana+products+List
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    6. Characteristics of Banana Fiber Clothing

       • Sustainable and Eco-Friendly: Utilizing agricultural waste, banana fiber production requires less water and fewer harmful chemicals compared to conventional fabrics like cotton or polyester, and the resulting fabric is biodegradable.
       • Properties: It is strong (sometimes noted as stronger than cotton and linen), wrinkle-resistant, and can have a silky sheen, often referred to as "banana silk".
       • Comfort: The fabric is known for high moisture absorption, making it comfortable in warm weather.
       • Versatility: The fibers' texture can vary from coarse (used for home furnishings) to fine and soft (ideal for clothing like shirts and dresses), depending on which part of the plant stem is used. It is often blended with other fibers like cotton or wool to enhance its properties for daily wear. 

       Availability and Production

       Evara

       As awareness of sustainable fashion grows, banana fiber apparel is gaining popularity as a responsible clothing choice .

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