In order to curb the spread of the invasive Banana Bunchy Top disease (BBTD) in Tanzania, IITA–CGIAR, in partnership with the Tanzanian Plant Health and Pesticide Authority and Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute, held a three-day workshop in November. There, key officials in the Ministry of Agriculture were trained on responding to emerging threats.
The objective of the training was to provide information on surveillance and eradication techniques to be used in destroying virus-infected plants on farms and outline plans for countrywide surveillance for precise mapping of disease status in the country. The workshop also provided crucial information for developing a robust disease management plan.
IITA Senior Plant Pathologist George Mahuku: “If left unchecked, the disease will continue to spread and eventually reach the major banana-producing regions with grave consequences for food security and livelihoods of banana-dependent families.”
The disease, caused by the Banana bunchy top virus, continues to spread in Tanzania. First confirmed in 2020 in Tanzania’s Kigoma region, the virus has reached epidemic levels in the Buhigwe district in Kigoma. The virus infection results in severe stunting and complete loss of fruit production. The infected plants remain as a vestige in the field and eventually die due to extreme stress.
Source: iita.org
