Enhancing opportunities for women and men in banana production is vital for promoting gender equity in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the gendered differences in access to and decision-making over banana production resources and services in banana bunchy top disease affected areas in Cameroon. A mixed methods approach was used, comprising an intra-household survey (n = 109 households). Six sex disaggregated focus group discussions and key informant interviews were organized to collect primary data in three communities in Ambam District in Southern Cameroon. These data were used to compare men and women in resource access and production within households and villages. Men had greater say in decision-making over productive resources and information services even when women were more involved in actual seed and site selection. Planting materials were mainly sourced from old fields although men were more likely to buy banana seeds than women farmers. In practical terms, access to and decision-making over production resources and services by women in the banana seed systems is vital for equitable outcomes. Disease pressure on banana production experienced in southern Cameroon may influence gendered access to resources upsetting resource access equity. In theoretical terms, the study reveals dimensions of gender linked differences in resource control even where participation was evident. Thus, it indicates the need for in-depth understanding of power and social relations within households and the communities. This study reveals the nexus of disease challenge and resource access in banana systems. The study will be of interest to development practitioners, researchers and extension agents.

While advances in agricultural research and development have led to generation of improved new cooking hybrid banana varieties (HBVs) with enhanced yield potential to restore production levels, these have been received with mixed feelings on production and consumption attributes among the farming communities in Uganda. Some farmers prefer HBVs that are comparable to their local varieties in terms of consumption attributes such as soft food, color when cooked, flavor and taste while others prefer high-yielding HBVs to produce surplus output for sale. The study findings provide insights into the need for agricultural research and development initiatives to target the development of banana varieties with multi-traits that meet end-users' preferences and needs. Facilitating the establishment of multi-actor platforms that bring together the different actors to share information and learn might be useful in increasing the intensity of HBVs adoption. 

Understanding trait preferences of different actors in the banana value chain may facilitate the selection and adoption of new cultivars. We systematically reviewed the scholarly and gray literature on banana trait preferences, with specific attention to studies that document gender-differentiated traits. Of 44 publications reviewed, only four reported gender-specific trait preferences, indicating a significant gap in the literature. The review found that banana farmers, irrespective of gender, value similar characteristics that are related to production constraints, income enhancement, consumption, and cultural or ritual uses. Farmers (as producers, processors, and consumers) often prefer traditional cultivars because of their superior consumption attributes, even if new cultivars have better agronomic and host plant resistance characteristics. Potential differences between trait preferences of farmers and other actors in the value chain should be accounted for to enhance marketing potential. Gender-specific research along the banana value chain and engaging users at the initial stages of breeding can ensure that new cultivars are acceptable to users and may improve adoption. Interdisciplinary teamwork is essential for an efficient and effective breeding program.

Sustainable Development Goals 5 calls for addressing gender equality and women empowerment by, among other things, eliminating all forms of discrimination against women. At CIP we interpret this to mean strengthening the use of gender approaches in research and ensuring that research products are responsive to the needs of men and women. This chapter reviews lessons learnt over the years on integrating gender into potato research and development. The chapter discusses how gender has been approached in five key themes in potato research, namely (1) conserving and accessing genetic resources, (2) genetics and crop improvement, (3) managing priority pests and disease, (4) access to seed (seed flows and networks), and (5) marketing, postharvest processing and utilization. This chapter discusses how gender relations that favor men influence women's participation in and their ability to benefit from potato production, marketing, and research for development. The review shows that potato research has been increasingly focusing on social determinants of potato farming because of the realization that purely technical solutions will not solve inefficiencies in potato production. Using a gender relations approach, the chapter attempts to draw out lessons that can contribute to the design of future potato interventions including research aimed at reducing the gender gap in agriculture in general and potato farming in particular.