World Bank strengthens support for Global Alliance against banana disease

The Global Alliance against Fusarium R4T, formed by key players in the banana sector, has received significant support from the World Bank, one of the main sources of financing for developing countries. The initiative aims to contain the spread of the disease that threatens banana production and, consequently, the food security and income of millions of small farmers around the world. During a working meeting at the office of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in Panama, the Executive Committee of the Alliance met with representatives of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). A detailed analysis of the global impact of the disease and the joint efforts already made by the Alliance were presented. The financial institutions suggested ways to support ongoing actions. Fusarium R4T, a tropical variant of the fungus that affects banana plants, is considered the greatest threat to the crop in more than half a century. The disease, ...