Community project in Argentina turns banana waste into gluten-free flour

Fruit once excluded from commercial channels is gaining new value in northern Argentina. In the Tupí Guaraní Iguopeigenda community of Río Blanco Banda Sur, Salta, ten families have begun producing banana flour, a gluten-free product that reduces harvest losses and is already attracting interest beyond the local market.

The initiative is supported by INTA Yuto, the local branch of Argentina’s National Institute of Agricultural Technology supporting farmers in northern Argentina, which provides technical assistance, training, and links to financing programmes. According to the institute’s technical team, low fresh-fruit prices pushed producers to look for ways to add value at origin, turning banana discards into a collective, income-generating project.

The project scaled up in 2025 after a socioproductive proposal approved by the Government of Salta enabled the purchase of key equipment, including a dehydrator, mill, and packaging machine. This allowed the group to move to community-level production, achieving a flour yield of around 10-15% per kilo of processed bananas.

Work is now focused on formalising the product under Argentina’s Food Code, while production expands and new banana-based foods are developed. The next steps include nutritional characterisation, brand definition, and trademark registration.

Banana flour is used in baked goods and stands out for its nutritional profile. It is rich in resistant starch, supports digestive health, and has a low glycaemic index, making it suitable for people with diabetes. At the same time, its production significantly reduces food waste by giving surplus bananas a second life.

source and photo: argentina.gob.ar