There is a wide diversity of cultivated banana (Musa spp.) found growing in small-holder systems around the world. The main types of bananas that are important for small-holders differ from region to region. Diversity is important for small-holders for many reasons. Diversity-rich production systems help to ensure a continuous supply of food throughout the year, losses due to pest and disease attack or unfavourable environmental conditions are reduced and a diverse range of products with different uses can be produced in a small area. Most importantly, diversity-rich production systems are sustainable, flexible and adaptable to change. Several challenges exist in ensuring the maintenance of diversity in small-holder systems. These include the need to combine increased production in the face of growing population pressure, with the need to conserve diversity for the future. To address these challenges, strategies have to be developed which allow improved, high yielding varieties to become part of the farming systems without replacing traditional varieties. At the same time conservation strategies, which combine In situ and Ex situ approaches in a complementary manner must be developed. This paper reviews the various methods of conservation available and emphasises the need for farmers, as the main users, custodians and beneficiaries of diversity, to be fully involved in the development of any such strategies.