KABANA 6H/NARITA7 hybrid: High yielding and disease tolerant banana

long lasting banana nicknamed 'kiwangazi' by farmers.

The KABANA 6H/NARITA7 banana hybrid is a high-yielding variety resistant to black Sigatoka, banana weevils, and nematodes. It can produce 57.7 kg per bunch with a potential yield of 60 tons/ha/year. Developed by IITA and NARO, it’s a practical solution for farmers, particularly in Uganda, enhancing plantation longevity and economic return.

This technology is validated.

9•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 8/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: No impact

Under 18: No impact

Women: Positive medium

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Water use: A bit less water used

Problem

Decreased Yield: Banana plantations have been facing a decline in yield due to various factors.
Black Sigatoka Disease: This leaf spot disease significantly reduces banana yield.
Pest Infestation: Banana weevils and nematodes cause root damage and reduce plantation longevity.
Short Plantation Lifespan: Pests and diseases have been reducing the lifespan of banana plantations, particularly in Uganda.
Economic Challenges: Due to the above issues, banana farmers have been facing economic challenges.

Solution

High Yield: The variety produces a high yield of 57.7 kg per bunch, with a potential yield of 60 tons/ha/year, addressing the problem of decreased yield.
Disease Resistance: It’s tolerant to black Sigatoka, a leaf spot disease, which helps in maintaining the yield.
Pest Resistance: The hybrid is resistant to banana weevils and nematodes, addressing the issue of pest infestation and root damage.
Longevity: The resistance to common pests and diseases increases the lifespan of banana plantations, solving the problem of short plantation lifespan.
Economic Benefits: With its high yield and resistance to pests and diseases, this variety can generate an economic return of USD 4800 per ha/year, addressing the economic challenges faced by farmers.

Key points to design your project

The technology of the high-yielding and disease-tolerant banana hybrid Kabana 6H (NARITA 7) addresses key challenges in banana production, especially in regions prone to disease and variable climatic conditions. By enabling farmers to achieve higher and more stable yields, it contributes to food security, poverty reduction, and the economic empowerment of women. Additionally, it promotes climate change adaptation and sustainable agricultural practices, supporting the sustainable development goals and creating new opportunities for employment and income in rural areas.

To hear firsthand experiences from farmers about the impact of the high-yielding and disease-tolerant banana hybrid Kabana 6H (NARITA 7), watch this video:

To integrate the high-yielding and disease-tolerant banana hybrid Kabana 6H (NARITA 7) into your project, consider the following key points:

Collaboration: Partner with breeders and agricultural research institutions to select improved banana varieties tailored to specific growing conditions in target areas.
Cultivar Selection and Adaptation: Identify appropriate cultivars for specific climatic conditions, production targets, and market demands.
Training and Capacity Building: Establish local training hubs for seed multipliers on macro-propagation and distribution of healthy plantlets. Train farmers on good agronomic practices to maximize yield and disease resistance.
Planting Material: Estimate the required quantity of planting materials for all the farmers, considering the range of 1111 plants per hectare. Use clean planting materials generated from in vitro tissue culture (micropropagation) or on-farm macropropagation to optimize performance.
Cost: Budget for production inputs and labor, with a minimum requirement of USD 2,542 per ha. Factor in delivery costs to the farmers site and any relevant import clearance and duties.
Outreach and Materials: Develop communication materials such as pamphlets, fact sheets, videos, and radio broadcasts to raise awareness and support the adoption of the technology.

57.7 kg per bunch

Real-life yield

60 tons/ha/year

Potential yield

IP

Plant variety protection

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology’s development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology’s readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 9 out of 9

Uncontrolled environment: validated

Level of use 8 out of 9

Used by some intended users, in the real world

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Enabling Environments for Sustainable Regional Agriculture Extension (ENSURE)

Project funder: African Development Bank & East Africa Community
Planned Budget: USD 13.14 million
Location: East African Community (Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda)
Planned duration: 2024–2027
Deployment means: On-farm demonstrations, training, digital tools (SMS, IVR, video, radio, pictorial guides), bundled inputs + advisory services, Training of Trainers (ToT)
Project main implementer: East African Community (EAC)
Project Description: Strengthen agricultural extension systems using digital tools, private-sector approaches, regional coordination, and multi-commodity focus (maize, cassava, rice, drought-resilient crops).
Objective: Promote regional extension, enhance advisory services, scale climate-smart technologies, build sustainable private sector–led extension systems, strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks.
Expected outcome: Increased adoption of improved technologies, improved farmer productivity and profitability, enhanced access to quality inputs and pest management solutions, strengthened resilience to climate and pest risks, regional market integration, job creation for youth and agripreneurs.
Figures of adoption: Target 3 million farmers reached over 4 years, digital extension pilots in 7 EAC states, training of extension agents, lead farmers, cooperatives, and youth agripreneurs, rollout of Pest Information Management Systems (PIMS).
Profiles of adopters: Smallholder farmers, women, youth agripreneurs, cooperatives and producer organizations, public and private extension agents, National Plant Protection Officers (NPPOs).
Lessons learnt: System-level approaches needed beyond technology delivery, digital tools most effective with in-person facilitation, supportive policy/regulatory environment critical, regional harmonization boosts scalability and cross-border diffusion of technologies.

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid	–	–	–	–
Semiarid	–	–	–	–
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 1: no poverty

Goal 2: zero hunger

Plant the new variety (KABANA 6H/NARITA 7) and follow the normal agronomic practices for banana. Globaly it could be:

Site Selection: Choose a site with well-drained soil. Avoid areas prone to flooding or water-logging.
Preparation of Planting Holes: Dig holes about 60cm wide and 60cm deep. The distance between holes should be about 3m x 3m apart.
Soil Preparation: Mix the topsoil from the hole with well-decomposed manure.
Planting: Place the banana sucker in the hole. Ensure that the corm is covered with soil up to the collar level of the sucker. Backfill the hole with the mixture of topsoil and manure.
Watering: Water the plants immediately after planting. Continue to water regularly, especially in the dry season.
Weed Control: Keep the plantation free from weeds. Weeds compete with banana plants for nutrients.
Mulching: Apply mulch around the base of the plants to conserve soil moisture and control weeds.
Fertilizer Application: Apply a balanced NPK fertilizer as per the soil fertility status. Regularly add organic matter to improve soil fertility.
Pest and Disease Management: Regularly monitor the plantation for signs of pests and diseases. Use recommended pest and disease control measures when necessary.
Harvesting: Harvest the bananas when they are fully developed and green. The right time to harvest is usually 11-14 months after planting.