The Ecuadorian Banana Exporters Association (AEBE) and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) have signed an agreement to develop banana varieties resistant to Fusarium R4T and Moko, two diseases affecting plantations.
The agreement was finalized at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasília. The project is expected to run for five years and will focus on the genetic improvement of the Cavendish banana variety.
The partnership began in January during the International Economic Forum of the CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean in Panama, where a letter of intent for financing was signed to support the research program proposed by Embrapa.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Embrapa President Silvia Massruhá, Ecuador's Minister of Agriculture Juan Carlos Vega, AEBE Executive Director José Antonio Hidalgo, and AEBE President Jorge Encalada.
Ecuador is the world's largest exporter of bananas. The partnership was developed in response to the phytosanitary risks linked to Fusarium. The pathogen has been present in several Latin American countries for several years and was first detected in Ecuador in December.
Prior to the detection, Ecuador had implemented biosecurity measures to delay the arrival of the fungus following its first regional detections in 2019. Measures involved cooperation between the public and private sectors and initiatives such as the SafeBanana program developed by AEBE together with the Guayas and Los Ríos provincial governments, as well as actions from agricultural and phytosanitary authorities.
The presence of the pathogen has led the sector to focus on long-term solutions.
"For this reason, the development of new genetically resistant varieties is emerging as one of the only viable alternatives for the industry," said AEBE President Jorge Encalada.
AEBE stated that the banana sector in Ecuador supports about 250,000 direct jobs and represents one of the country's main non-oil export industries.
Following the detection of Fusarium, national efforts have focused on containing and isolating outbreaks through phytosanitary restrictions and specialized response teams.
"Currently, the strategy combines mandatory compliance with biosecurity measures on farms with a strong commitment to science and innovation," said José Antonio Hidalgo.
During the visit to Brazil, the AEBE delegation also met with Embrapa's Executive Director of Research and Development, Clenio Pillon, and researchers from Embrapa Cassava and Fruit Crops responsible for the banana genetic improvement program.
The delegation also visited Brazil's National Center for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (Cenargen) to review research activities related to plant genetics and the conservation of plant genetic resources.
Source: EFEcomunica
