The Agroecological Practices and Water Management Subgroup seeks to drive innovation in the banana farming industry globally. Emphasis is placed on fostering South–South cooperation systems to exchange knowledge and develop a shared understanding of sustainability trends in the sector.

Objective

The objective is to enable smallholder banana farmers to exchange technical knowledge and experiences on agroecological, organic, and polyculture farming practices, as well as strategies for adapting to climate change.

Working Group 01 (WG01) members have reached the consensus that chemically reliant conventional monoculture banana production is not sustainable. As a result, there is a need to develop alternative agroecological farming methods.

Main workstreams

1. Promotion of key messages and actions

The aim is to showcase the work of the WBF in promoting agroecology and transitioning away from chemically reliant monoculture production. Sharing insights on agroecological practices, based on the experiences of WBF members, is fundamental in setting an example. This involves compiling the successes of smallholders to present them at international events and national or regional workshops.

2. South–South–North initiative

The current work focuses on setting a South–South–North family farmers’ information exchange. This provides an opportunity to share best practices and experiences on agroecological and organic production methods, as well as adaptation to climate change.

Key topics 

• Agroecological practices and other sustainable alternatives for banana production.
• Understanding water-related challenges faced by banana producers and identifying common solutions to guide the WBF and the Subgroup in effectively addressing water needs.
• Promoting good water and soil management practices for small producers, particularly those that enhance climate resilience, reduce nonpoint source pollution, and improve water-use efficiency.
• Exploring the interconnections between these issues, as well as the links between agroecological farming practices and gender, youth, and labor considerations.