Preference and Uses of Banana and Plantain in the Former Province of Equateur in Democratic Republic of Congo

In order to contribute to the knowledge of the preferences and the uses of banana and plantain, a survey was carried out in the purpose to contribute to the improvement of the culture not only for increasing the production, but also to increase the income and, therefore, reduce poverty. This study was conducted in the former province of Equateur, a region located in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The former province had five districts which currently correspond to the provinces. The taste, preferences, choice and uses of banana and plantain were evaluated. Cultivars were evaluated according to their preference and usages. These preferences are related to certain criteria. Among the plantains studied, the French type is the most preferred because of the good taste and the high number of hands, the False Horn type presents fingers more appreciable in terms of length and size and it constitutes the most marketed bananas on the local markets. The Gros Michel was the most preferred because of its taste among dessert bananas. Banana is above all a food crop. It can be eaten fresh or dried, the heart of the stem is highly prized in India and Ethiopia, the bud as salad, the pseudo stem used for swimming and livestock. In addition to the above-mentioned uses, banana also enters into other uses such as the production of indigenous soap, the production of alcohol, the f