Historical_cultivation Banana

1 historical cultivation

1.1 cultivation
1.2 plantation cultivation in caribbean, central , south america
1.3 peasant cultivation export in caribbean
1.4 east africa

historical cultivation
early cultivation


original native ranges of ancestors of modern edible bananas. musa acuminata shown in green , musa balbisiana in orange.

farmers in southeast asia , papua new guinea first domesticated bananas. recent archaeological , palaeoenvironmental evidence @ kuk swamp in western highlands province of papua new guinea suggests banana cultivation there goes @ least 5000 bce, , possibly 8000 bce. other species later , independently domesticated elsewhere in southeast asia. southeast asia region of primary diversity of banana. areas of secondary diversity found in africa, indicating long history of banana cultivation in region.

actual , probable diffusion of bananas during islamic times (700–1500 ce)

phytolith discoveries in cameroon dating first millennium bce triggered yet unresolved debate date of first cultivation in africa. there linguistic evidence bananas known in madagascar around time. earliest prior evidence indicates cultivation dates no earlier late 6th century ce. likely, however, bananas brought @ least madagascar if not east african coast during phase of malagasy colonization of island south east asia c. 400 ce.

the banana may have been present in isolated locations elsewhere in middle east on eve of islam. spread of islam followed far-reaching diffusion. there numerous references in islamic texts (such poems , hadiths) beginning in 9th century. 10th century banana appears in texts palestine , egypt. there diffused north africa , muslim iberia. during medieval ages, bananas granada considered among best in arab world. in 650, islamic conquerors brought banana palestine. today, banana consumption increases in islamic countries during ramadan, month of daylight fasting.

bananas grown in christian kingdom of cyprus late medieval period. writing in 1458, italian traveller , writer gabriele capodilista wrote favourably of extensive farm produce of estates @ episkopi, near modern-day limassol, including region s banana plantations.

bananas introduced americas portuguese sailors brought fruits west africa in 16th century.

many wild banana species cultivars exist in extraordinary diversity in india, china, , southeast asia.

there fuzzy bananas skins bubblegum pink; green-and-white striped bananas pulp color of orange sherbet; bananas that, when cooked, taste strawberries. double mahoi plant can produce 2 bunches @ once. chinese name of aromatic go san heong banana means can smell next mountain. fingers on 1 banana plant grow fused; produces bunches of thousand fingers, each inch long.

in 1999, archaeologists in london discovered believed oldest banana in uk, in tudor rubbish tip.

plantation cultivation in caribbean, central , south america


fruits of wild-type bananas have numerous large, hard seeds.

in 15th , 16th centuries, portuguese colonists started banana plantations in atlantic islands, brazil, , western africa. north americans began consuming bananas on small scale @ high prices shortly after civil war, though in 1880s became more widespread. late victorian era, bananas not known in europe, although available. jules verne introduces bananas readers detailed descriptions in around world in eighty days (1872).

the earliest modern plantations originated in jamaica , related western caribbean zone, including of central america. involved combination of modern transportation networks of steamships , railroads development of refrigeration allowed bananas have more time between harvesting , ripening. north america shippers lorenzo dow baker , andrew preston, founders of boston fruit company started process in 1870s, railroad builders minor c keith participated, culminating in multi-national giant corporations today s chiquita brands international , dole. these companies monopolistic, vertically integrated (meaning controlled growing, processing, shipping , marketing) , used political manipulation build enclave economies (economies internally self-sufficient, virtually tax exempt, , export oriented contribute little host economy). political maneuvers, gave rise term banana republic states honduras , guatemala, included working local elites , rivalries influence politics or playing international interests of united states, during cold war, keep political climate favorable interests.

peasant cultivation export in caribbean

the vast majority of world s bananas today cultivated family consumption or sale on local markets. india world leader in sort of production, many other asian , african countries climate , soil conditions allow cultivation host large populations of banana growers sell @ least of crop.

there peasant sector banana growers produce world market in caribbean, however. windward islands notable growing, largely of cavendish bananas, international market, in europe in north america. in caribbean, , in dominica sort of cultivation widespread, holdings in 1–2 acre range. in many cases farmer earns additional money other crops, engaging in labor outside farm, , share of earnings of relatives living overseas. style of cultivation popular in islands bananas required little labor input , brought welcome income. banana crops vulnerable destruction high winds, such tropical storms or cyclones.

after signing of nafta agreements in 1990s, however, tide turned against peasant producers. costs of production relatively high , ending of favorable tariff , other supports, in european economic community, made difficult peasant producers compete bananas grown on large plantations capitalized firms chiquita , dole. not did large companies have access cheap labor in areas worked, better able afford modern agronomic advances such fertilization. dollar banana produced these concerns made profit margins peasant bananas unsustainable.

caribbean countries have sought redress problem providing government supported agronomic services , helping organize producers cooperatives. have been supporters of fair trade movement seeks balance inequities in world trade in commodities.

east africa

most farms supply local consumption. cooking bananas represent major food source , major income source smallhold farmers. in east africa, highland bananas of greatest importance staple food crop. in countries such uganda, burundi, , rwanda per capita consumption has been estimated @ 45 kilograms (99 lb) per year, highest in world.