This paper analyses the effect of farmer characteristics, variety attributes and agro-ecological conditions on farmers’ banana variety choice decisions in Uganda. A Multinomial Logit (MNL) model was used to estimate the determinants of variety choice. The results show that M9 was the most preferred hybrid variety, followed by M2 and M14. However, many of the respondents (39.4%) chose Mbwazirume, a local variety, as their most preferred variety. Good taste, large bunch size, soft food and good flavour were the most desirable attributes, while longer maturity period was a notable undesirable attribute. Results from the MNL analysis suggest that small land size, taste and regional location were negatively associated with variety choice, while perceptions that hybrid bananas could reduce food insecurity and tolerance to pests and diseases were positively associated with probabilities of variety choice. Probabilities of choosing hybrids for food security increase in favour of M2 (by 6.13%) and M9 (27.60%), and decrease by 23.05% for M2, 6.89% for M14 and 9.36% for M9 due to taste relative to Mbwazirume. Farmers’ involvement in varietal improvement and development programmes is vital for meeting their preferences. Future breeding efforts should consider attributes such as bunch size, good taste, soft food and agronomic characteristics. Farmers with large land sizes should be targeted for on-farm promotional activities to increase the potential adoption and impact of the hybrids. After the hybrids are popularized and used by farmers, there will be a need for an impact study to evaluate their acceptability in terms of household food security and income.

BACKGROUND: Determinants of culinary qualities of East African highland cooking bananas (EAHCB) are not well known. This constrains the inclusion of user‐preferred traits in breeding. The present study aimed to quantify key indicators of user‐preferred characteristics to enable selection of acceptable hybrids.RESULTS: Qualitative characteristics that drive preference were big bunches (15–34 kg), long straight/slightly curved fingers (12–23 cm), yellowness and soft texture. Descriptive sensory analysis of the intensity of colour and texture the 23 genotypes revealed that landraces Kibuzi, Mbwazirume, Nakitembe and Mpologoma had higher intensity of yellowness and lower intensity of hardness (softer) and a low score (≤ 1.0) of astringency taste. A preference test showed that they had higher acceptability scores. Biochemical, instrumental and sensory data revealed correlations between sensory firmness and instrumental hardness (r = 0.5), sensory firmness and amylopectin (r = −0.54), suggesting that qualitative descriptions can be predicted by instrumental and biochemical indicators. Significant (P < 0.05) variations in amylose and total starch content were observed in different varieties. Moderate correlations between instrumental hardness and firmness in mouth (r = 0.55), cohesiveness and firmness in the mouth (r = 0.57), and adhesiveness and firmness in the mouth (r = 0.64) were observed. Surprisingly, carotenoids content was not correlated with yellowness in cooked matooke. However, positive correlations were observed between chroma (b*) parameters of raw matooke and sensorial assessed color on cooked samples.CONCLUSION: Qualitative characteristis; the bunch, pulp colour and texture; that drive users‐preference in the EAHCB were quantified, paving way for breeders to use them to select genotypes with these attributes early in the breeding process. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Crop breeding in sub‐Saharan Africa has made considerable gains; however, postharvest and food‐related preferences have been overlooked, in addition to how these preferences vary by gender, social difference and context. This context is changing as participatory approaches using intersectional gender and place‐based methods are beginning to inform how breeding programmes make decisions. This article presents an innovative methodology to inclusively and democratically prioritise food quality traits of root, tuber and banana crops based on engagement with food systems actors and transdisciplinary collaboration. The outcome of the methodology is the Gendered Food Product Profile (GFPP) – a list of prioritised food quality characteristics – to support breeders to make more socially inclusive decisions on the methods for trait characterisation to select genotypes closer to the needs of food system actors. This article reviews application of the methodology in 14 GFPPs, presents illustrative case studies and lessons learned. Key lessons are that the transdisciplinary structure and the key role of social scientists helped avoid reductionism, supported co‐learning, and the creation of GFPPs that represented the diverse interests of food system actors, particularly women, in situ. The method partially addressed power dynamics in multidisciplinary decision making; however, effectiveness was dependent on equitable team relations and supportive institutions committed to valuing plural forms of knowledge. Actions to address power asymmetries that privilege particular types of knowledge and voices in decision making are crucial in techno‐science projects, along with opportunities for co‐learning and long‐term collaboration and a transdisciplinary structure at higher level. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

BACKGROUND: The relevance of several characteristics for the acceptability of steamed East Africa bananas (matooke) was assessed using consumer‐preferred characteristics, the overall liking scores, check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) and the Just About Right scale. The study was conducted in rural and urban locations in three banana growing regions of Uganda. Two landraces and two hybrids were processed into matooke. Twelve trained panellists evaluated color, taste and texture sensory characteristics.RESULTS: Consumers scored matooke from landraces as the most liked. The CATA test showed that the most important characteristics were: smooth mouthfeel, soft to the touch, not sticky, moldable, deep yellow color, attractive, good matooke taste and smell. Principal component analysis confirmed that most of the preferred sensory characteristics were associated with the local genotypes, whereas the less preferred characteristics were associated with hybrids. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive correlations between the consumer assessed characteristics, hardness by touch, softness to touch and yellowness, as well as quantitative laboratory characteristics (moldable, hardness by touch, softness and yellowness) of the steamed matooke. Color assessed by consumers was strongly correlated with the laboratory‐assessed color indicators.CONCLUSION: The strong associations observed between laboratory‐assessed and consumer‐based characteristics (moldable by touch and yellowness) suggest the possibility of predicting consumer characteristics using quantitative laboratory sensory assessments. Matooke taste as assessed by consumer panel is strongly associated with smooth texture and deep yellow color, which were the characteristics associated with landraces in the laboratory sensory assessment. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

The adoption of improved technologies is widely recognized as key to improving agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study analyzes adoption patterns and intensity of multiple banana technologies in Uganda which have been promoted over time. We used primary data collected from 383 banana farmers sampled using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Multivariate probit (MVP) and ordered probit analyses were applied to establish the adoption patterns and adoption intensity, respectively, and any factors affecting them. The findings highlight that 15 pairwise correlation coefficients among banana technologies were statistically significant implying that banana farmers adopt technologies simultaneously. The household size, total banana area, ecological location, membership to farmer groups, access to formal credit sources, and the type of market accessed had significant effects on household adoption patterns and intensity. Thus, it is recommended that such factors should be seriously considered in addition to technology characteristics when planning promotion programs. Simultaneous adoption implies that each of the technologies should be considered as a package which contributes to the increased farmer options and maximum synergistic effects among them. This study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the key variables which affect the pattern and intensity of adopting technological packages involving both input intensification and low-external-input technologies in Uganda.

Tea (Camellia sinensis (L). Kuntze) cultivation by smallholder out-growers has grown significantly. Recent government initiatives have expanded production from traditional tea growing regions. This study investigated how smallholder farmers perceive and prefer different commercial tea clones. It also looked at the factors that influence their choices across major tea-growing regions of Uganda. A structured questionnaire was administered to 324 randomly selected tea out-growers from Central, Western, Kigezi, and West Nile regions. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, a Tea Preference Index (rating clone attributes on a 1–5 scale), and a multivariate Probit (MVP) model to evaluate farmers’ choices and preferences. Clone 303/577 is the most cultivated, accounting for 59%. Adoption rates were high in West Nile (98%), Kigezi (77%), and Central (67%) regions. Clone 6/8 ranked second at 47%, while clone 100/5 had the lowest cultivation rate at 10%. The ranking of clones by preference was 303/577, 6/8, 108/82, 31/8, and 100/5. Key attributes influencing preferences included, yield potential, canopy width, post-plucking/pruning recovery rate, shoot tenderness and cup quality. Results showed that a farmers’ choice of clone 303/577 was significantly influenced by shoot density, gender and tea farming experience. For clone 108/82, the most important factors were quick recovery after plucking/pruning, education level and household size. This information is vital for agricultural policy, extension services, tea breeding and genetic improvement programs in the tea sector.