Ecological intensification for pesticide-free plantain production in Central and West Africa: a review

Plantain productivity in Central and West Africa remains critically low in cropping systems, ranging from only 5–15 t/ha/year compared with a potential of 30–50 t/ha/year under optimal conditions. Thus, plantain cropping systems fail to meet growing market demand. Plantain monocultures, modelled on intensive banana production systems and reliant on chemical pesticides, are emerging as a response to this deficit. However, they have been unable to improve productivity: plant-productivity and field longevity remain stagnant. Moreover, conventional intensification is known to be harmful to the health of populations and the environment. Based on a review of agronomic research, we analyzed 349 references addressing the five previously identified major production constraints: black weevils, nematodes, black leaf streak disease, weeds, and soil fertility. Our analysis reveals that 88% of studied management practices are based on alternatives to chemical pesticides. However, this knowledge remains largely confined to experimental settings and has had minimal impact on producer practices and field productivity, despite decades of agronomic research. We identify critical knowledge gaps for improving productivity: insufficient knowledge concerning varietal diversity and its potential, limited access to healthy planting material, pest and disease management strategies that are unsuitable to local conditions and poorly adopted, incomplete knowledge of nutrient requirements, and poorly documented crop associations. Based on these findings, we propose to detail five agronomic priorities that could enable pesticide-free plantain production through agroecological practices. This transition also requires strengthening knowledge co-construction between researchers, extension services, and producers to bridge the gap between available scientific knowledge and producer practices. We argue that ecological intensification represents the most viable pathway to sustainably close the plantain yield gap while preserving natural resources and public health in Central and West Africa