Subregional Office for the Caribbean ISSUE BRIEF #2 Battling Black Sigatoka Disease in the banana industry July 2013 KEY FACTS X Sigatoka Disease, one of the most dangerous diseases to bananas and plantains, is caused by a fungus. X On infected leaves the fungus continuously produces spores, which are spread from plant to plant and further afield by water and wind. X Affected plants bear smaller bunches and underweight fruit which ripens prematurely, Banana and plantain production plays an important social, economic and making it unsuitable for export. cultural role in the lives of rural communities in many of the countries of the Lesser Antilles and in Guyana and Suriname. X Export has been gravely affected by the disease with up to 100% Though the contribution of the banana industry to regional agriculture has decline in Guyana and 90% decline dwindled, largely due to competition from lower-cost Latin American banana in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. producers and reduced European Union trade preferences, a significant proportion of the labour force still depends on this industry for its livelihood. X In 2011 five countries requested Trade continues within the region to Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, and FAO assistance - Dominica, Saint many islands have entered into specialized arrangements to capture niche Lucia, Saint Vincent and the markets, particularly in the UK. Grenadines, Grenada and Guyana. Farmers have been encouraged to diversify their cropping systems to include X FAO collaborated with the CARICOM plantain as well and countries have implemented initiatives that seek to bring Secretariat, IICA and CARDI to more value to banana and plantain. The strides that have been made in trying develop several interventions to find a new relevance for the banana and plantain industry in the marketplace in a coordinated approach. face a constant series of challenges - institutional, political and financial. X An FAO project - TCP/SLC/3402 Currently however, a production and environmental threat is causing the - provided each country with greatest concern for those involved in the industry. Already accustomed to a baseline of current practices the annual risk of hurricanes, flooding and drought, banana farmers are now together with a National Action grappling with the dreaded Black Sigatoka Disease (BSD). Between 2008 Plan; a draft proposal for resource and 2012, the fungus spread rapidly through Guyana and the main banana- mobilization; and intensive producing countries of the Lesser Antilles, affecting farmer livelihoods and the technical training in the selection very sustainability of the already-weakened banana and plantain industries of and effective use of fungicides these countries. to manage the disease. 1 There are few diseases as harmful to climate and high humidity provides Coordinated Support the Caribbean banana and plantain the perfect environment in which the industry as BSD. Not to be confused spores that cause the disease can In November 2011, five countries with the slightly-less-harmful Yellow multiply and spread. (Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Sigatoka Disease (YSD) which has Lucia and Saint Vincent and the little or no effect on plantains, BSD Economic impact can be grave. The Grenadines) requested technical is a leaf spot disease that affects fruit of an infected plant, though not assistance from FAO to develop plantains as severely as it does harmful if consumed, is not suitable comprehensive national and regional bananas. By far the most widely- for export. The cost of protection management plans for Black Sigatoka distributed, destructive and important measures, including the regular Disease. It was considered critical diseases of banana and plantains application of fungicide treatments, that mitigation, adaptation and globally, BSD is considered one of the can be prohibitively expensive and control measures be identified and top ten threats to food security. add to production costs by 25% or implemented against BSD in the more. earliest possible time period. Both YSD and BSD infect the leaves, reducing the plant’s ability Small farmers and householders, In an effort to effectively coordinate to photosynthesize. The fungus unable to bear this high cost, often the delivery of technical assistance produces spores, which are spread abandon their farms. Left untended, requests from the five affected by wind and water not only from plant these infected plants then pose a countries and avoid duplication, to plant but also over wide areas. further threat to surrounding farms. several regional/international The disease thrives in warm, wet and institutions including FAO, the humid climates. In as little as three Wherever BSD has taken hold in the CARICOM Secretariat, the Inter- hours after being deposited on a leaf, region, banana and plantain yields American Institute for Cooperation the spore can begin to grow and start have been severely affected. In 2007 on Agriculture (IICA) and Caribbean spreading the disease. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Agricultural Research and exported 22 657 tonnes of the fruit, Development Institute (CARDI), Affected plants produce smaller valued at EC$29 128 451. BSD was worked together to develop a bunches and underweight fruit, which first discovered there in 2009 and just coordinated response. ripens prematurely and has a creamy two short years later, banana export pulp. These fruits are rejected by was a mere 1 750 tonnes, a decline of FAO sought funds for a project importers on arrival at their destination nearly 90%. under its Technical Cooperation resulting in further losses. Programme (TCP), with the Ministries In Guyana the situation was even of Agriculture, IICA and CARDI as the Impact worse. Since its first case of BSD main partners and small producers in in 2008 the industry has been the region as the key beneficiaries. Black Sigatoka Disease arrived in decimated. The country has the Caribbean in 1991 at a time registered a 100% decline in the IICA in collaboration with FAO and when most countries were already export of plantains within 2-3 years, CARDI organized a virtual seminar on affected by, and were managing, and in fact has resorted to importing the management of Black Sigatoka YSD on bananas. The region’s warm bananas to meet local demand. targeted at producers, technicians and policy makers explaining in simple terms how the disease could be managed in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. The seminar provided the fundamentals of BSD integrated management and presented an outlook of the state A comparison of fruit from a healthy plant The wilted leaves of an affected plant (left) and the fruit of an affected plant (right) 2 of affairs of the banana industry in relation to the challenges created by BSD. The seminar also created a forum for exchanges among participants based on experiences in managing the disease. It was anticipated that FAO, IICA and CARDI would collectively formulate and deliver a package of technical assistance to the countries on the basis of the Report and other outputs of the TCP Project. FAO Project FAO formulated and implemented FAO provided a Cuban Expert Consultant to visit the countries and carry out assessments the Regional TCP Project titled Development of Integrated Programmes and Action Plan for provide input into a Caribbean-wide for ongoing and future BSD Black Sigatoka Management in five strategy for controlling the disease. management activities; countries of the Caribbean (TCP/SLC/3402 (D)). There were several final project X To support mobilization of outputs: funds, six Draft Proposals – five An experienced Expert Consultant national, one regional – were from Cuba, Dr. Luis Perez-Vicente, X Detailed manuals which field developed and shared with the was recruited to undertake activities and laboratory technicians are countries in December 2012; in two missions. Dr. Perez-Vicente utilizing to more effectively spent one week in each of the five support national BSD X A six-day training workshop beneficiary countries, assessing the management programmes; (for two participants from each current situation and meeting with country), carried out in June stakeholders. X Current baseline on BSD, 2013, is helping countries together with National Integrated in appropriate selection and One of the first activities undertaken Management Programmes and application of fungicides in order by the FAO Consultant was the Action Plans (based on national to prevent the development of production of a draft Technical Manual assessments and developed resistant fungus populations and on the Integrated BSD Management participatively), submitted to the to prolong the effective life of Program, which is based on three five countries in October 2012; the pesticides currently in use. basic principles: X Regional Management Countries have already seen the 1. improving cropping practices Programme and Action Plan benefits of participation in the and nutrition to foster speed developed in collaboration process. Dominica, Saint Lucia and of banana development and with the five countries and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines response to the infection; regional partners (CARDI, have used the Action Plans to develop IICA, CARICOM and OECS specific components/activities 2. elimination of the fungal spores; Secretariats, CIRAD, Banana under the EU-funded Banana Board (Jamaica), Caribbean Accompanying Measures (BAM) 3. proper timing and application Farmers Network (CaFAN), project. National funds are also being of effective fungicides for the Ministry of Agriculture