Africa: Enhancing banana plant disease preparedness
Lomé - Across Africa, bananas are a vital crop for millions of smallholder farmers, but the spread of transboundary plant diseases like banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) and Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4) poses a serious threat to economic growth and sustainable development on the continent.
The Central and Western African regions, in particular, are highly vulnerable to both diseases.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is building on existing regional efforts to prevent and control banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), which causes BBTD, and Fusarium TR4, a disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Tropical Race 4).
Building robust emergency response frameworks
In partnership with strategic partners, FAO organized a weeklong training program to enhance national capacities for emergency preparedness and management in preventing and controlling BBTV and Fusarium TR4. The training focused on contingency planning, surveillance, diagnosis, and the implementation of biosecurity measures.
"Countering the threat from BBTD and Fusarium TR4 requires improved emergency preparedness to limit their spread and introduction to unaffected areas, through awareness-raising and the development of contingency plans," said Maged Elkahky, FAO's plant pathologist, during the workshop's opening session.
Participants included plant health experts representing National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) from West African countries (Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo) and Central African countries (Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Congo). The workshop was supported by the African Union Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (AU-IAPSC), which represents the Regional Plant Protection Organization (RPPO) of Africa.
Sharing experiences in dealing with TR4
Experts from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) shared valuable insights into using on-field diagnostics to detect BBTV. They also outlined the necessary measures to prevent, contain, eradicate, and manage this significant transboundary pathogen. Additionally, specialists from Stellenbosch University, recognized as a center of excellence in diagnosing Fusarium TR4, shared their extensive experience in its global diagnosis and management.
FAO introduced participants to the Progressive Pathway for Emergency Preparedness (PPEP) self-assessment tool, which countries in West and Central Africa expressed interest in adopting. Participants also began drafting national contingency plans to prevent and manage these diseases.
Reinforcing alliances
Collaboration among African nations, with the support of international organizations and research institutions, offers hope that with the right strategies in place, the spread of these diseases can be contained, securing a sustainable future for banana farmers across the continent.
FAO aims to foster strong alliances among key stakeholders, including Stellenbosch University, IITA, and the AU-IAPSC, to enhance member countries' emergency management capacities.
Further support for containment and management
FAO has committed to organizing additional training sessions on the PPEP self-assessment tool in each subregion, empowering national plant protection officers to effectively deploy the tool in their respective countries.
This support is provided under the framework of the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID-BHA)-funded project, "Strengthening Plant Health Emergency Management Capacities (OSRO/GLO/1137/USA) ".
History of BBTD and Fusarium TR4 in Africa
BBTD was first reported in Central Africa in the 1950s, starting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Between 1960 and 1980, the disease spread to neighboring countries, including the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Burundi, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea. Recent surveys by FAO and IITA indicate that the virus is present in 8 of 9 provinces in Gabon and southern Cameroon.
In West Africa, BBTV was first reported in Benin in 2011 and in Nigeria in 2012. It later spread to Togo in 2018, as well as Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Guinea, where symptoms such as severe stunting, bunchy growth, shortened petioles, chlorotic streaks, and yellow leaf margins have been observed in banana fields.
Meanwhile, Fusarium TR4 is known to be present in Mozambique, Mayotte, and the Comoros Islands. The potential for TR4 to spread to other countries, particularly in West and Central Africa, poses one of the greatest threats to banana production.