Join us for the upcoming World Banana Forum's webinar on Integrated Solutions for Plant Health in Banana Production Systems

Thursday, 27 November 2025, 15:00 - 17:00 CEST.

REGISTER HERE

Banana production and trade play a vital role in food security, global nutrition, rural employment and the livelihoods of millions of farmers worldwide. Yet, the sector faces several sustainability challenges due to a range of fast spreading pests and diseases. The effects of climate change, compounded by monoculture and monovarietal production systems, are intensifying this problem, allowing pests and diseases to become more severe and spread into new territories.

Key threats include the bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum (Moko disease), soil-borne fungi such as Fusarium wilt TR4 (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense tropical race 4), foliar diseases like Black and Yellow Sigatoka (Pseudocercospora fijiensis and Pseudocercospora musae ), viral infections such as Banana streak virus (BSV) and Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), insect pests like the banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus), and nematodes such as Radopholus similis.

Traditionally, pest control in commercial plantations has relied on agrochemicals repeatedly applied by aerial spraying, ground application or through irrigation systems. However, shifting consumer demands, stricter regulations and concerns over residues are accelerating a transition toward more integrated methods.

Building on this momentum, technological advances such as sensor networks, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and a deeper understanding of crop–pest interactions are enabling a more sustainable and precise approach to the issue. These advances are operationalized through Integrated Pest Management (IPM), precision agriculture techniques, decision-support tools, and agroecological practices, all aimed at reducing pesticide reliance while enhancing crop productivity and profitability.

In this context, the World Banana Forum (WBF) Secretariat organizes this webinar on Integrated Solutions for Plant Health in Banana Production Systems.

Objectives:

• Share experiences and challenges faced by banana growers in addressing rising pests and disease pressures;
• Highlight innovative control and management approaches implemented across key banana-producing countries, such as IPM, precision agriculture, biological control and agroecological practices
• Strengthen collaboration among value chain actors to enhance crop health, protect livelihoods, and ensure the sector’s long-term sustainability.