Value-added Processing of Bananas and Plantain

Banana and Plantain Processing for a Healthier Diet

This value-added processing technology transform bananas and plantains into a range of marketable products. Both ripe and unripe fruits can be utilized. Unripe bananas and plantains are typically peeled, sliced, and dried (either in the sun or using dehydrators) before grinding into flour. This flour boasts a high resistant starch content and can be used as a partial substitute for wheat flour in various applications like baking and pasta production. For ripe bananas, the process involves peeling and pulping the fruit to create a puree ideal for use in beverages, dairy products like yogurt, and even ice cream. Alternatively, sliced bananas can be dried or deep-fried to produce healthy snacks in the form of banana chips. Notably, the processing methods can be adapted for small-scale, community-based operations or scaled up for industrial production lines.

For additional technical background on nutritional properties and processing approaches for banana and plantain products, see the detailed reference here.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

Scaling readiness: idea maturity unknown; level of use unknown

Project adoption

The technology has been integrated in the ENSURE project: in 7 regions of the East African Community

Goal: 3,000,000 farmers (50% women)

149,940 lead farmers and promoters trained

Budget: USD 13.14 million

Implementation period: 2024–2027

See project details ›

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive low

Under 18: No impact

Women: Positive high

Climate adaptability: Moderately adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

Environmental health: Does not improve environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Problem

Postharvest losses: Bananas and plantains are perishable crops and can quickly deteriorate after harvest, leading to significant losses.
Unattractive Appearance: Traditional flour processing can result in a brownish color that is not appealing to consumers.
Diverse Flour Processing Challenges: Different banana and plantain cultivars have varying starch properties, which can pose challenges in meeting specific industrial requirements.
Low Availability of Digestible Carbohydrates: In their natural form, bananas and plantains may not provide a high availability of digestible carbohydrates.

Solution

Enhanced Shelf Life: Techniques like flour production and pulping are employed to create longer-lasting banana and plantain-based items.
Color Improvement: Blanching or soaking in sodium metabisulfite or organic acids is recommended to counteract the unattractive brownish color typically associated with traditional flour processing.
Improve Starch Content: Different cultivars are utilized to produce flours with varying starch properties, aiming to meet specific industrial requirements related to thickening, resistant starch, and dietary needs.
Increasing Availability of Digestible Carbohydrates: The technology enhances the availability of digestible carbohydrates by processing the bananas and plantains into various forms such as flour, chips, and pulps. This increases the nutritional value and digestibility of these crops.

Key points to design your program

Value-Added Processing of Bananas and Plantains transforms fresh fruits into flour, puree, chips, snacks, and other marketable products, reducing post-harvest losses and creating new income opportunities. The technology can be integrated into agribusiness, food security, nutrition, value chain development, and youth employment programs. Its adoption contributes to SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

To integrate this technology into your project, plan and budget for the following activities and prerequisites:

Assess banana and plantain production potential, post-harvest losses, processing gaps, and market opportunities in target areas.
Facilitate access to processing equipment such as dryers, peelers, grinders, blenders, and packaging systems adapted to local processing needs.
Support training for processors, cooperatives, women’s groups, and youth enterprises on food processing, hygiene, quality control, packaging, storage, and equipment maintenance.
Invest in processing facilities, drying systems, storage infrastructure, and energy solutions to improve product quality and shelf life.
Promote the production of banana and plantain flour, puree, chips, snacks, and other value-added products to diversify markets and increase incomes.
Support the participation of women and youth in processing enterprises and related agribusiness opportunities.
Establish partnerships with IITA, research institutes, processors, cooperatives, extension services, and private sector actors to support scaling and sustainability.
Track key indicators such as post-harvest losses, processed product volumes, product quality, jobs created, market access, and farmer income growth.

IP

Open source / open access

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
Benin	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Burundi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Cameroon	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Côte d’Ivoire	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ghana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Guinea	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Somalia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Togo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–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 2: zero hunger

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Goal 11: sustainable cities and communities

Goal 12: responsible production and consumption

Preparation of Unripe Plantain and Banana Flour:

Wash the bunch or fingers thoroughly to eliminate sand and impurities before peeling.
Cut the peeled fruit into slices and air dry for 1-3 days.
Mill the dried slices after the air-drying process to obtain flour.
Use hand peeling or an industrial scale automated machine for efficient peeling.

Processing Banana Puree from Ripe Bananas:

Wash and peel ripe bananas.
Blanch the bananas with steam or boiling water at around 93°C for approximately 15 minutes.
Cool the blanched bananas and blend them using a blender.

Manufacturing Banana Chips:

Method A: Deep-fry thin slices of banana in hot oil, similar to preparing potato chips.
Method B: Dry slices of banana in the sun, or utilize a solar or artificial dryer.

Industrial-Scale Process (for Unripe Fruits):