The document highlights the large numbers of small farmers in the Windward Islands and constrained environmental factors that affect the production of banana. The Research and Development Division works towards this goal by conducting research and development activities, providing technical advice to the banana industry, monitoring of the quality of inputs, monitoring of banana production, fruit processing handling and transportation system, monitoring the quality of fruit being produced and exported and providing communications and technology transfer support to the Banana Growers' Association extension and other field staff. (MIBA)