While I was showering, I felt really calm and thought, “this is paradise.” Every day when I showered, I watched a bushel of bananas grow bigger and bigger. It felt special, almost like an inanimate friend that I got to watch grow up.
Banana trees are everywhere, but they are most often found in people’s compounds, or the areas around their homes. People grow banana trees close to home because chickens, goats and other animals that roam freely through the village may eat the fruit and make a mess. Sometimes, people may also take bananas from others, so it is safer to grow them nearby. Still, banana trees can be seen along the sides of roads, near churchesand throughout the village.
Banana trees need full sun, and they thrive in Togo’s bright, warm climate. In my region, the soil is very rich, which helps banana trees grow easily. Once the rainy season begins, they grow quickly. You might see a flower one week and a full bushel of bananas the next
Climate change may affect banana trees in Togo. As the climate changes, some parts of the country are becoming drier, while others are experiencing shorter dry seasons. For example, my region did not have a very long dry season this year, while my friend’s village has not seen rain in over three months. While banana trees benefit from rain, strong storms can cause them to fall because they are not very sturdy.
