How Banana Fibre Is Win-Win For Farmers & Women’s Earnings

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What is Banana Fibre?

Banana fibre, also known as musa fibre is one of the world’s strongest natural fibres.
Biodegradable, the natural fibre is made from the stem of the banana tree and is incredibly durable.
The fibre consists of thick-walled cell tissue, bonded together by natural gums and is mainly composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin.
Banana fibre is similar to natural bamboo fibre, but its spin ability, fineness and tensile strength are said to be better.

In Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, nearly 1,000 acres (405 hectares) of land is under banana cultivation.
When the bananas are harvested, the farmers usually throw away the banana stem.
Clearing the discarded stems from the field requires an additional spending of Rs.5 a quintal.
By a unique initiative of the district administration, the discarded stems have become a source of employment to rural women who draw fibres from them.
Banana fibres are largely used in textiles, slopes, hygiene products such as diapers, etc.
The project was kicked off last December in Samesa village.

Forty women from Samaisa were trained in extracting the fibres from the banana stems.
Machinery was bought from a company in Gujarat and the same company imparted online training to the women.
Ma Saraswati SHG has signed an MOU with AltMat, a company in Gujarat that transforms agriculture waste into natural fibres and yarns to be used in clothing and packaging.
The company has placed an order for two hundred kilos of fibre to be delivered in 2022,

The project, which began in December 2020, in Samaisa village of Isanagar block, about 150 kms from the state capital, Lucknow, has brought financial freedom to village women who till recently were struggling to feed their children.
For every kilogram of fibre extracted the women are paid Rs 100. On an average, one woman is able to extract at least four to six kilos of fibre a day, earning Rs 400-600.
The yarn is sold at anything between hundred eighty to two-hundred-fifty rupees a kilo.
The women did not have to worry about finding buyers. Companies come to the village to collect the yarn.

In rain-rich Karnataka, banana cultivation is common but farmers have no control over prices.
Merchants categorise the fruit into first and second quality. It was being bought at ₹4 and ₹5 per kg during the lockdown.
The farmers were forced to take back the seconds. When there is a glut, distress sales are common in this region.
Now, homemakers are helping these farmers by experimenting with banana flour, which can be used for everything from dosas to gulab jamun.