The B2A project paves the way for a more sustainable banana export industry

Collaborative research to accelerate the agroecological transition of banana plantations

Launched in 2017 and running until 2025, the B2A (Agroecological Banana for Africa) project is the result of a partnership between CIRAD and Compagnie Fruitière, through its subsidiaries in Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, and Senegal.

Faced with evolving regulations on plant protection products and growing expectations for sustainability, the project explored several ways to reduce reliance on chemical inputs in export banana production systems.

This collaborative research enabled the experimentation, validation, and transfer of innovations that are now being implemented in plantations.

Reducing fungicides for more sustainable plant health

One of the project's major achievements concerns the fight against cercospora leaf spot in bananas.

This research has led to the development of warning strategies that have made it possible to phase out mancozeb, a long-standing cornerstone of plant protection. This work has been accompanied by a system for monitoring resistance to systemic fungicides and the evaluation of 21 biocontrol products.

These advances have resulted in a reduction of more than 50% in the frequency of pesticide treatments and a 75% reduction in the quantities of active ingredients used.

The “zero mancozeb” strategy is now being deployed on 2,300 hectares of plantations in Ivory Coast.

Rethinking pest management to reduce pesticides

The project also strengthened the management of nematodes and the banana weevil.

Improved fallow land management, the shredding of contaminated plant residues, the use of trapping with the Cosmolure® pheromone, and the use of healthy plantlets in vitro have all contributed to improved disease prevention.

Two laboratories, in Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon, were established to monitor plant contamination, with skills transfer and regular audits.

These innovations have led to a 40% reduction in nematicide use and a 97% reduction in insecticide use in Côte d'Ivoire, paving the way for pesticide-free strategies.

Optimizing fertilization for systems with lower input requirements

The project also focused on reducing mineral fertilizers.

Evaluating a nitrogen nutrition indicator and better accounting for organic inputs allowed for adjustments to fertilization practices.

Nitrogen inputs were reduced by 20%, while potassium inputs decreased by 30%.

These results confirm that more efficient and input-efficient intensification is possible.

Integrating service plants into the heart of cropping systems

Another lever explored by B2A is the integration of cover crops into cropping systems.

Cover plants during fallow periods, particularly crotalaria, and legumes such as Arachis repens under banana plantations help improve soil biological function and reduce the need for herbicides.

Herbicide’s use has thus been reduced by 40%.

These practices illustrate the potential of agroecological approaches at the cropping system level.

Research innovations already deployed in plantations

Beyond the results obtained, B2A demonstrates that the agroecological transition of export banana sectors is already underway.

By combining research, real-world experimentation, and implementation in plantations, the project opens up possibilities for reconciling competitiveness, reduced inputs, and environmental sustainability.

This work contributes to rethinking banana systems in Africa and shows that credible alternatives to conventional models are already being developed.