Banana aren't just for eating
window into African business on and off the continent.
(CNN) -- On the fertile farmlands of Uganda's Kasese
district, miles and miles of lush banana plantations dot the
green landscape. This is one of the biggest banana growing
areas in the east-central African country, where most people
make a living through subsistence farming.
Yet, the nutrient-rich fruit is not the only source of income
for farmers in the region. After harvesting the crop, locals
also extract banana fiber from the trunk of the plant. This
can be used for a whole range of products -- from
household goods and handicrafts to bags and textiles.
Taking advantage of the abundance of the natural product,
a group of landmine victims have formed a co-operative
association to make rope out of banana fiber and sell it for
a profit. After using water to soften the leaves, the members
of the Kasese Landmine Survivors Association split them
into small pieces depending on the color and the thickness
of the rope they want to make.
Once the banana fibers are weaved together,
the co-op sells it to various clients in bulk. One
of their longest-standing customers is furniture
designer Evelyn Zalwango, who incorporates the
rope into a number of her creations, including
beds and chairs. "We realized that this fiber, the
color of it, is very beautiful," explains Zalwango.
As well as being beautiful, the fiber is a viable,
cost-free product as it is abundant in Uganda. In
2011 banana trees were growing in 17.5% of the
country's total arable land, making it the second
most grown crop after maize according to the
Food and Agriculture Organization.
Troubled past
Kasese District, in western Uganda, is especially ripe with
the fruit. It is also an area of the country with a difficult
history. Many of the workers lost limbs after landmines
were planted in this part of Uganda.
The explosives were mainly deployed by rebels of the Allied
Democratic Forces during a 20-year insurgency against
President Museveni . That conflict ended in 2005, but the
scars of war haven't gone away. Many of these workers
turned to this trade after losing their ability to farm the
mountainous area they come from.
It's these mountains which are part of the reason the
community is still small. "So far, we have registered 136,"
explains Neathu Ahab, coordinator at the Kasese Landmine
Survivors Association. "There are many more who are not
yet registered with us because of financial support; we don't
have enough and some of them are staying in hard-to-reach
areas, because the ones that are doing these exercises are
not able to reach across mountains."
Those who have been able to make the journey
are more mobile in Kasese as it is a relatively
flat area, but also benefit from the opportunity
to make money. Since the banana fiber project
started two years ago, the prices have almost
doubled and some workers can make $4 a day
-- in a country where UNICEF says nearly 40%
of the population lived on less than $1.25 per
day in 2011, these workers are at an advantage.
Bringing people together
But Wilson Bwambale, the co-ordinator for the non-profit
Anti-Mines Network says the benefit to the workers isn't just
cash.
"It is important in two ways," he explains. "One way,
obviously, [it is] an income generating activity and the other
way is when they come together to weave, it is so kind of
peer-to-peer support for each other; they get to understand
each other -- in other words, the rope project brings them
together."
While the project has seen some success already, Ahab
wants to keep growing. The association's co-ordinator
knows more training will be needed to take full advantage of
this free natural resource, but is clear the benefits would be
seen in more fiber products and improved quality. With this
output, the landmine survivors would have greater income
as well as hope and courage for a brighter future.
Source: CNN.com
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