- Date: 28 January 2026
- Time: 09:00am (Brussels Time)
- Duration: 2 hours
- Languages: English
- Format: Online Webinar (Open Session)
- Register here
Bananas play a central role in the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Over 1,000 varieties exist, with the Cavendish accounting for approximately 47% of global production due to its high yield and resilience to environmental factors (FAO, 2024). Major producers include India, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with significant exports from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Fusarium Tropical 4 (TR4) is one of the major pathogenic diseases affecting banana crops for years. The soil fungus affects the growth cycle of bananas impacting plant yields on infected farms. While TR4 does not affect the fruit directly, its influence on yield and farmer livelihoods underscores the need for continued collaboration on research and innovation in integrated pest management strategies.
Farmers Organizations engaged in programmes from AgriCord, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), Alliance for Bioversity International and CIAT, Foundation for Agrarian Reform Cooperatives in Mindanao (FARMCOOP), and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) have engaged in participatory research and innovations, trials, and value chain initiatives. This webinar is an opportunity to hear from farmers and researchers about their innovative IPM approach and discuss what are the next steps to scale them.
Key Topics:
- General introduction to projects and/or context
- The importance of a holistic approach towards dealing with TR4 with a special introduction by ACIAR (i.e. the famous ‘circle’)
- Strategies with regards to prevention; risk reduction; communication
- Impact of strategies and results in terms of TR4 management, including e.g. interplay with other diseases, introduction of new varieties, etc.
Speakers:
- Eliezel Mugisha - Confédération des Associations des Producteurs Agricoles pour le Développement (CAPAD), Burundi
- Sebastien Carpentier - Alliance for Bioversity and CIAT, Belgium
- Stewart Lindsay - Queensland Department of Primary Industries, ACIAR, Australia
