Processing for development

Banana Home

Musa Processing

Study conclusions

Country reports

Methods guide

Gallery of businesses

Dried bananas/Cameroon

Dried bananas/South Africa (pdf)

Sundried banana/Uganda (pdf)

Handicraft/Kenya (pdf)

For more information

Pictures

Literature

Contribution of the business to rural development

Does the business contribue to a local population with additional skills and experience ?
Is the work place healthy?
The business provides training on fibre extraction and production of fibre products to women.
The work place is healthy and adequate.
The entry and exit barriers are non existent.

Does the business contribue to stable and positive local social relations ?
Does the business provide opportunities for establishing linkages outside the community?
The trained women are involved in production process and the income generated in this process gives them a certain amount of security in the society.
The women interact with traders, officials of the unit and buyers of their product. Thereby their contact with people has also enlarged.

Strengths and weaknesses of the unit

Shredded fibre sold

Does the business contribute to the development of physical capital for production, for economic growth or for physical infrastructure at the local level?
As the production is manual and many women are involved, the income generated by them enables the family to access basic necessities like education, health, nutrition, and other essential services like telecommunications.

Does the business contribute to an increase in income in local households ?
Housewives could get employment and they are able to involve in the production by staying in their home.
Other unemployed women also get employment if they possess skill for production of banana fibre products.
The income generated is directly proportional to their productivity.
At the end of the year they may get bonus based on the profitability of the business.

Does the business adequately dispose of waste products? Does it use resources otherwise needed for marginal sectors? Is the business a good neighbour (smoke, smell, noise)?
Waste are disposed for natural drying.
The industry does not compete with resources required for other industries.
They are not harmful to the neighbours.