Report on the Socio-Economic Impact of Banana Bunchy Top Disease in Nigeria

Introduction: A Threat to Sustainable Development

A new study by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), presented at a CGIAR Sustainable Farming Program webinar, reveals that Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD) is severely undermining banana production in Nigeria. The report highlights that gender inequality is a primary driver of the virus’s spread, leading to catastrophic losses for female farmers. This crisis poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s progress towards several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning poverty, hunger, and gender equality.

Background: The BBTD Crisis and its Economic Context

Banana Bunchy Top Disease is a viral pathogen that causes stunted growth and yield losses approaching 100%. First identified in Nigeria’s Ogun State in 2011, its persistence threatens a crop fundamental to the nation’s economy and food security. As Africa’s second-largest producer, Nigeria relies on bananas and plantains for rural livelihoods, directly supporting SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The disease’s impact ripples across economic, social, and nutritional systems, jeopardizing the stability of smallholder farming communities.

Key Findings: Drivers of the Epidemic

The research identifies critical factors fueling the spread of BBTD, which are rooted in community practices and systemic gaps:

• Informal Seed Systems: Over 90% of farmers rely on informal sourcing for planting materials, such as suckers from their own farms or from neighbors. This practice, in the absence of a formal seed system, facilitates the rapid transmission of the virus.
• Critical Awareness Gap: A significant knowledge deficit exists, with 70.8% of farmers in affected areas being unaware of how BBTD spreads. This lack of information hinders effective management and contributes to practices that fail to address the disease.

Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

The study’s findings demonstrate a severe and unequal impact, directly impeding progress on key SDGs.

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Gender disparity is a central element of the crisis. The impact is not felt equally, with women bearing a disproportionate burden:

• Disproportionate Yield Losses: Female-headed farms in infected regions suffered an average yield loss of 50%, compared to 12% for male-headed farms. This economic devastation pushes women and their families further into poverty, undermining efforts to achieve gender equality.
• Unequal Access to Information: Awareness of BBTD is significantly lower among women (12.2%) than men (17.3%). This information gap prevents women from adopting effective disease management strategies.
• Resource Disparity: Women have more limited access to training and formal seed networks, often relying on high-risk social connections for planting materials. This systemic barrier reinforces gender inequality within the agricultural sector.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

The devastating yield losses directly threaten food security at both the household and national levels. The decline in banana production reduces the availability of a staple food source and diminishes the income smallholders rely on to purchase other foods, creating a direct challenge to achieving Zero Hunger.

Recommendations for a Gender-Responsive and Sustainable Solution

To effectively combat BBTD and mitigate its impact on the SDGs, the researchers propose a multi-pronged, gender-centric approach:

1. Scale Up Sustainable Production of Clean Planting Materials: Establish community-based nurseries to produce and distribute certified, disease-free banana suckers. This aligns with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by building a resilient and sustainable agricultural system.
2. Launch Gender-Inclusive Awareness Campaigns: Design and implement targeted educational programs using channels accessible to women, such as radio and community organizations, to bridge the knowledge gap, a crucial step for SDG 5.
3. Strengthen Disease Surveillance and Seed Networks: Formalize seed exchange systems to replace the current high-risk informal practices and improve disease monitoring. This requires strong partnerships, reflecting the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
4. Empower Women Farmers: Ensure all interventions are gender-responsive, providing women with equitable access to resources, training, and decision-making power to build a more resilient and equitable banana production system.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD) in Nigeria connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to its focus on agriculture, food security, economic livelihoods, and the significant role of gender inequality in exacerbating the crisis.

• SDG 1: No Poverty: The article highlights that banana production is crucial for “rural livelihoods and stable income for smallholder farmers.” The “catastrophic losses” caused by the disease directly threaten these incomes, pushing vulnerable farming households, particularly those headed by women, further into poverty.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: This is a central theme, as the article explicitly states the crisis threatens a “crop vital to the nation’s food security.” With bananas and plantains being a “cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy and diet” and the disease causing yield losses of up to 100%, the direct impact on food availability and access is significant.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The article identifies gender inequality as a “key driver” of the virus’s spread. It provides detailed evidence of how the disease disproportionately affects female farmers through greater yield losses, a wider awareness gap, and unequal access to essential resources like training and clean planting materials.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The banana sector provides livelihoods and supports local economies, including value-added processing (18% of produce). The destruction of this crop undermines the economic productivity of the agricultural sector and threatens the jobs and work of smallholder farmers.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article discusses the unsustainable practice of using infected planting materials from informal sources. The call for “certified, disease-free planting materials” and a “resilient banana production system” aligns with the goal of establishing sustainable production patterns in agriculture.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets are relevant:

1. Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to… appropriate new technology. The article points to a failure to meet this target, as it shows women have “more limited access to seed networks” and are less likely to receive “training in disease management” compared to men.
2. Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women… including through… equal access to… inputs, knowledge… The article shows a direct contradiction to this target, with the disease causing a “dramatic drop in productivity,” especially for women who lost an average of 50% of their yield. The lack of knowledge (70.8% of farmers are unclear on transmission) and access to clean inputs (disease-free suckers) are key problems.
3. Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices… that strengthen capacity for adaptation… The current reliance on an “informal seed system” that spreads disease is unsustainable. The recommendation to build a “resilient banana production system” through surveillance and certified seeds directly addresses this target.
4. Target 5.a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources… The article demonstrates a clear disparity in access to economic resources between men and women. Women’s reliance on “social connections” for seeds versus men who are “more likely to purchase seeds” illustrates this inequality in accessing productive agricultural inputs.
5. Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through… technological upgrading and innovation… The article discusses how 18% of bananas are processed into higher-value products like chips and flour, an economic activity threatened by the collapse in production. The call to introduce “certified, disease-free planting materials” is a form of technological upgrading to restore productivity.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure the problem and track progress towards the identified targets.

• Indicator for Agricultural Productivity (Target 2.3): The article provides specific data on yield losses.
  • Overall potential yield loss from BBTD is “90-100%”.
  • Gender-disaggregated yield loss: “women lost an average of 50% of their yield, compared to a 12% loss for male-headed farms.”
  • Productivity drop for women: “nearly 80% of female farmers in affected areas harvested fewer than 200 suckers.”
• Indicator for Access to Knowledge (Target 2.3): The awareness gap is quantified.
  • Overall lack of awareness: “a staggering 70.8% of farmers are unclear about how BBTD spreads.”
  • Gender-disaggregated awareness: “17.3% of men recognized the disease, compared to just 12.2% of women.”
• Indicator for Sustainable Practices (Target 2.4): The reliance on informal and high-risk planting materials is measured.
  • “Over 90% of farmers use suckers… sourced from their own farms or received as gifts from neighbors and family.” This serves as a baseline indicator for the prevalence of unsustainable seed sourcing.
• Indicator for Access to Economic Resources (Targets 1.4 & 5.a): While not fully quantified, the article provides a clear qualitative indicator of unequal access.
  • “Men are more likely to receive training in disease management.”
  • “Women have more limited access to seed networks… men are more likely to purchase seeds.”

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cgiar.org