Dailycsr.com – 22 August 2019 – On a global scale one third of bananas consumed is produced in Ecuador while nearly eighty percent of it heads to “Russia, Germany, the UK, United States, China, Argentina and Chile”.
Banana production has been recognised as the “most important agricultural activity” of Ecuador which occupies around “190,000 hectares” of land and provides job to over “2.5 million people”. As per last year’s figures, the total annual banana sale of Ecuador was “US$ 2.7 billion”. Nevertheless, these “incredible figures” do little to keep challenges at bay for the farmers as they battle to “keep their leadership and supply the many countries around the world”.
International exportation regulations are becoming assertive with “good agricultural practice certifications” which means the entire workforce involved in banana production process requires “adequate training”. Similarly, at production level too the regulations are “becoming stricter” when it comes to “crop protection” which includes disease control under the growing demand of “safer food”.
Sigatoka Negra is a disease that affects banana crops in all “producing countries” and probably considered “the worst” among diseases. Without proper treatment, this disease can affect 50% of productivity besides raising the “risk of resistance to fungicides”. As a result, farmers mostly turn to chemical pesticides at this juncture.
One interesting ways to address the issue would be to encourage “biological products” while Bayer offers “innovative solutions to take advantage of beneficial microorganisms that naturally help prevent the onset of diseases in banana crops”. The company has launched “Banano Más Sano del Mundo” initiative which translates to “The Healthiest Banana in the World” through this effort farmers in Ecuador “are being encouraged to employ our biological products, and they also count on an after-sales service to digitally register their farms (SmartAgro) and qualify their staff on good practices by using the BAY G.A.P tool”.
Integrated management of Sigatoka Negra control reflects on positive environment effects realised due to the combined used of “chemical and biological products” in rotation with “different mechanisms of action”. And Bayer believes that “there will be a growing demand for biological products”.
References:
3blmedia.com
Banana production has been recognised as the “most important agricultural activity” of Ecuador which occupies around “190,000 hectares” of land and provides job to over “2.5 million people”. As per last year’s figures, the total annual banana sale of Ecuador was “US$ 2.7 billion”. Nevertheless, these “incredible figures” do little to keep challenges at bay for the farmers as they battle to “keep their leadership and supply the many countries around the world”.
International exportation regulations are becoming assertive with “good agricultural practice certifications” which means the entire workforce involved in banana production process requires “adequate training”. Similarly, at production level too the regulations are “becoming stricter” when it comes to “crop protection” which includes disease control under the growing demand of “safer food”.
Sigatoka Negra is a disease that affects banana crops in all “producing countries” and probably considered “the worst” among diseases. Without proper treatment, this disease can affect 50% of productivity besides raising the “risk of resistance to fungicides”. As a result, farmers mostly turn to chemical pesticides at this juncture.
One interesting ways to address the issue would be to encourage “biological products” while Bayer offers “innovative solutions to take advantage of beneficial microorganisms that naturally help prevent the onset of diseases in banana crops”. The company has launched “Banano Más Sano del Mundo” initiative which translates to “The Healthiest Banana in the World” through this effort farmers in Ecuador “are being encouraged to employ our biological products, and they also count on an after-sales service to digitally register their farms (SmartAgro) and qualify their staff on good practices by using the BAY G.A.P tool”.
Integrated management of Sigatoka Negra control reflects on positive environment effects realised due to the combined used of “chemical and biological products” in rotation with “different mechanisms of action”. And Bayer believes that “there will be a growing demand for biological products”.
References:
3blmedia.com