Assessment of pre-harvest losses of banana and the social wellbeing of farmers in Boyo Division, North West Region of Cameroon

The study assessed pre-harvest losses of banana and its effect on the social wellbeing of farmers in Boyo Division. It have as objectives to; assess banana production systems in Boyo division, examine the extent of pre-harvest losses of banana in Boyo division, and assess the effect of the losses on the social wellbeing of the farmers. The study employed multi-stage sampling techniques to select 380 respondents from three out of four Sub-divisions in Boyo Division. Data was obtained from the respondents with the aid of Questionnaire, Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews. The data obtained was analysed using descriptive statistics and relational content analysis. The results revealed that majority of banana farmers practiced banana-coffee intercrop with farm sizes ranging from 0.1-4 hectares. Majority of the producers (87%) were smallholders’ farmers. The results further revealed that during the 2019/2020 cropping cycle, an estimated amount of 89,272 banana suckers were planted/maintained, 61,055 plants harvested, while 28,217 plants were lost at pre-harvest stage. Most of the losses (21-30%) were recorded in the banana-coffee intercrop system. These quantity lost subjected a significant proportion, 81% and 59% of the farmers’ households to food shortages, inability to access good health facilities and societal commitments. The study therefore, concludes that pre-harvest losses of bananas significantly affect the social wellbeing of the farmers and recommend that intercropping should be reduced and improved cultivation practices provided to the farmers.