
How the world’s first banana farmer is changing the face of agriculture
By DAVID COOPER, APFood and Agriculture writerIn a place where the weather can be downright ugly, a banana farmer has managed to produce a crop that has become one of the most sought-after in the world.
But it’s a miracle that the fruit has survived a devastating drought that has killed more than 80 million people in the worst global food crisis in generations.
The story of Konya is an unlikely one, with its origins as a poor farming community of about 100 people who were trapped in the mountains of Kenya when the country’s first commercial banana plantations were destroyed by a famine.
Now a handful of farmers living in the tiny village have turned the fruit into a global success story by turning it into a nutritious, locally-grown staple for those who need it most.
The banana’s reputation for health benefits has long been recognized by the world, as its seeds are considered the best in the food chain and its high concentration of potassium, folate and vitamin C have been found to protect against cancer.
Yet despite its health benefits, its commercialization has been fraught with controversy.
It is an African fruit grown in the same area as palm oil and is exported all over the world for its oil-rich, high-protein seeds.
The farmers, known as bakers, are members of a tiny community in the heart of Kenya’s largest farming community.
They were the first to export bananas from Konyas small town to neighbouring villages, which in turn brought them to other African countries.
But in spite of the widespread support for the fruit, the farmers’ success has been dogged by controversy.
They are accused of being “colonialist” and their actions have been seen as a threat to traditional farming techniques, which have long been considered the backbone of the traditional economy of Kinyarwanda.
“This is the first time that anyone in the history of Kanyas banana industry has managed the export of bananas to other countries, in any way, in the entire history of banana industry,” said Joseph Konyaga, a member of the Konyanafar group who heads the cooperative, Konyam.
Konyam, whose family owns the cooperative and who is also the president of the farmers association, has been accused of collaborating with the government in its efforts to protect the banana industry from competitors.
“I don’t know how many people have been killed in this banana plantation.
I know there are thousands,” Konyama said.
“We don’t want to give any credit to the government.
It’s only our collective work that has saved the banana.”
But the KONYABAB community has survived and is thriving, despite the government’s efforts to halt its export.
“The KONYANABB banana farmers are our main breadwinner, we feed everyone in Kony,” KONYAM said.
Konyamba and Konyawa say they’ve found a way to survive.
“For me, the biggest challenge is not just the export but also the work we do.
Because we can’t sell the bananas, we have to make our own flour,” KONYANAB BAKER KONYA, 42, a single mother, said.KONYA, who is in his late 40s, said the business has become more lucrative since he started growing bananas a decade ago.”
When I first started, the whole banana industry was in crisis.
We were selling bananas that were not going to be used for the future.
But we made money,” he said.
A group of four people who work together to grow and harvest bananas have turned their farms into a cooperative, known simply as KONYAB, which has been granted government aid and is now expanding.
The cooperative is also looking to sell bananas for export.KONYAMA said the KONANYANAB banana farmers’ work has become a big part of their daily life.
“We do all the work together and we earn our bread,” he added.
Konanya, a 30-year-old farmer, grew bananas at his farm for about three years.
The bakers work together with a team of two or three other people, who take turns harvesting and sorting the fruits, according to Konyamas.
“It’s not a team.
It doesn’t have a hierarchy.
The work is really just for fun,” KONGANAB, a 37-year old baker, said of his work.
The bakers are not paid for the work they do.
“They earn money by selling the bananas.
They make their own flour.
We buy the bananas and send them to the buyers, who sell them in Africa,” KONEB, a 45-year to 40-year olds farmer, said about the work.
Farmers in KONYa are now struggling to feed their families.
The farmers have lost most of their land and have had to sell off their animals, which they used to raise the crop, for their livelihoods.
The drought has devastated Konyany