The Banana Improvement Project (BIP) was conceived in 1993 by the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Bananas (FAO/IGB), and the World Bank. It lasted until 1998, and had two main objectives.
· To develop and evaluate improved banana varieties with export potential, which would incorporate increased productivity and durable disease resistance through conventional and nonconventional breeding techniques
· To develop more efficient and integrated disease management practices, especially for black Sigatoka disease.
The BIP eventually funded eighteen individual projects, which fell under four general categories:
-Germplasm Collection and Evolution
These projects of course have economic and environmental impacts on the industry of bananas. However, one question that remains is "What is the future of banana research?"
