%0 Journal Article
%T Prospects and challenges of biodiversity in small-holder systems
%A SL Sharrock
%A EA Frison
%J African Crop Science Journal
%D 2004
%I 
%X There is a wide diversity of cultivated banana (Musa spp.) found growing in small-holder systems around the world. The main types of bananas that are important for small-holders differ from region to region. Diversity is important for small-holders for many reasons. Diversity-rich production systems help to ensure a continuous supply of food throughout the year, losses due to pest and disease attack or unfavourable environmental conditions are reduced and a diverse range of products with different uses can be produced in a small area. Most importantly, diversity-rich production systems are sustainable, flexible and adaptable to change. Several challenges exist in ensuring the maintenance of diversity in small-holder systems. These include the need to combine increased production in the face of growing population pressure, with the need to conserve diversity for the future. To address these challenges, strategies have to be developed which allow improved, high yielding varieties to become part of the farming systems without replacing traditional varieties. At the same time conservation strategies, which combine In situ and Ex situ approaches in a complementary manner must be developed. This paper reviews the various methods of conservation available and emphasises the need for farmers, as the main users, custodians and beneficiaries of diversity, to be fully involved in the development of any such strategies. Key Words: Banana, conservation, Ex-situ, In-situ RESUME Il y a une large diversit¨¦ des bananes cultiv¨¦es (Musa spp) trouv¨¦e plant¨¦e dans des syst¨¨mes de petits fermiers dans le monde. Les principaux types de bananes qui sont importants pour les petits fermiers diff¨¦rent d'une r¨¦gion ¨¤ une autre. La diversit¨¦ est importante pour les petits fermiers pour plusieurs raisons. Les syst¨¨mes de production de la riche diversit¨¦ aide ¨¤ assurer un approvisionnement de nourriture tout au long de l'ann¨¦e, les pertes dues aux attaques des pestes et maladies ou aux conditions environnementales d¨¦favorables sont r¨¦duites et une diverse gamme des produits avec diff¨¦rents usages peut ¨ºtre produite dans une petite aire. Plus important, les syst¨¨mes de production de la riche diversit¨¦ sont durables, flexibles et adaptables au changement. Plusieurs d¨¦fies existent pour garantir la maintenance dans les syst¨¨mes de diversit¨¦ des petits fermiers. Ceux ci incluent le besoin de combiner l'augmentation de production en face de la pression de la croissance de la population, avec le besoin de conserver la diversit¨¦ pour l'avenir. Pour adresser ces d¨¦fies, des strat¨¦gies doivent ¨ºtre d¨¦velopp¨¦es lesquelles strat¨¦gies permettent d'am¨¦liorer les vari¨¦t¨¦s de production ¨¦lev¨¦e pour devenir une part des syst¨¨mes de culture sans remplacer les vari¨¦t¨¦s traditionnelles. En m¨ºme temps des strat¨¦gies de conservation, qui combinent les approches In situ et Ex situ dans de mani¨¨re compl¨¦mentaire doivent ¨ºtre d¨¦velopp¨¦es. Cet article r¨¦vise les diverses m¨¦thodes de conservation dispo
%U http://www.ajol.info/index.php/acsj/article/view/27662