They are an essential source of income and employment for many households, as well as being a source of nutrition and food security for more than 400 million people in producer countries. However, only 15 to 20% of the world's banana production is traded internationally.
Why banana industry is important?
Banana production is a source of income and employment in the countryside with more than 5.6 million smallholder farmers dependent on it (Calderon, 2002). In 2000, the banana sector contributed about 7% to the total value of production in agriculture.
How Does banana production affect the environment?
Environmental Impacts of Production Major environmental problems arise from the production of bananas for export or from large-scale commercial production of bananas for local markets. These include habitat conversion, soil erosion and degradation, pollution from agrochemical use, solid waste, and water usage.
How do bananas help the environment?
There are three main reasons that bananas have such small carbon footprints compared with the nourishment they provide: They are grown in natural sunlight, which means that no energy-intensive hot-housing is required.
What are advantages of banana farming?
Banana plantations, being labour intensive, are an essential economic booster as they help in generating employment. Also, banana farming delivers a comparatively quick return on investment and provides consistent income throughout the year.
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