Colombia’s banana sector strengthens alliance against Fusarium R4T

Colombia’s banana industry has launched a new scientific and international cooperation initiative to strengthen its response to Fusarium Tropical Race 4, according to ASBAMA.

The alliance brings together AUGURA, ASBAMA, CAF — Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean — and AGROSAVIA. Its goal is to accelerate research, technological transfer and resource mobilisation to help protect Colombian banana production from one of the most serious phytosanitary threats facing the global banana sector.

The initiative will focus on prevention, diagnosis, applied research and the development of solutions to support plant health, rural employment, environmental sustainability and the export competitiveness of Colombian bananas.

ASBAMA said the issue is critical for producing regions such as Urabá, Magdalena, La Guajira and Cesar, where banana activity supports formal jobs and local economies.

José Francisco Zúñiga Cotes, executive president of ASBAMA, noted that the Colombian Caribbean exported more than 51 million boxes of bananas last year, underlining the scale of what is at stake for the region.

CAF said the cooperation fits within its Agricultural Prosperity Strategy, which aims to reach USD 8.5 billion in financing by 2030 through public and private sector operations.

According to AGROSAVIA, the work also seeks to support small producers and rural communities affected by the threat of Foc R4T, while promoting innovation and protecting biodiversity.

The alliance sends a clear message that defending Colombian banana production requires early action, science, innovation and coordinated work across the sector.

source and photo: asbama.com