Climate change and its consequences
It’s Time for a Shared Climate Responsibility
The year 2024 saw the highest number of climate refugees since 2008, due to destruction of homes, crops, cropland, forest and habitat by climate-related events such as floods, forest fires and hurricanes. Of course, the banana sector does not escape the effects of climate change either.
Climate change, banana production and trade
AgroFair banana producers had to deal with drought, floods, water scarcity and heat.
Medium-term impacts
In recent years, studies have been published by the University of Exeter (UK), the German GIZ and more recently by the Rabobank, which have developed scenarios for the medium-term impacts of climate change in the banana sector.
Last autumn, for instance, the water reservoir of the Poechos dam in Peru, essential for the irrigation 2 system in the Chira Valley, practically ran dry. Many banana farmers therefore turned to excavate or drilling their own wells.
Open pit well in the APPBOSA cooperative, Peru
Temperature rises
The Exeter University predicts that many of the current banana growing areas are becoming unsuitable for bananas in the medium term, particularly due to temperature rises, with the exception of some parts of Ecuador and Brazil. In the shorter term, there is a greater risk of fungal banana diseases such as Sigatoka and Tropical Race 4.
Climate justice
It is high time to broaden the focus, from adaptation of producers alone, to resilient banana value chains. Banana producers are not the only actors in the chain; there are also shipping companies, importers, retail sectors and consumers. This also brings climate justice into the picture. Is it only banana producers who need to reduce the climate footprint, adapt and bear its costs, or is it time for responsibilities and investments to be shared throughout the value chain?
Important Thoughts
Here is a summary report, accompanied by some important thoughts: the need to adapt to these changes, and a plea for all actors in the chain to take responsibility for meeting these challenges and ensuring bananas remain available for future generations.
