New Delhi: A report highlights how 60 per cent of the best banana growing areas globally are in danger from rising temperatures. The report published on Monday by the international development charity Christian Aid said extreme weather, rising temperatures and climate-related pests pose a threat to banana producing regions, sparking calls for faster emission cuts and more support for farmers.

Currently, Latin America and the Caribbean are responsible for 80 per cent of banana exports which supply supermarkets around the world. However, the report highlights 60 per cent of the most suitable banana growing areas in that region could be lost by 2080 due to rising temperatures and extreme weather. India is one of the largest producers of banana in the world with 29.7 million tonnes from an area of 0.88 million hectares with a productivity of 37 MT/ha. Although India accounts for only 15.5 per cent in area, its contribution in the world’s production is 25.58 per cent, say Indian experts.

For many people, a banana is not just an enjoyable fruit, but a staple part of their diet and essential for survival. In fact, it’s the fourth most important food crop globally, after wheat, rice and maize. More than 400 million people rely on bananas for 15 to 27 per cent of their daily calories. The report, ‘Going Bananas: How climate change threatens the world’s favourite fruit’, also features first-hand accounts from banana growers that work with Christian Aid partner organisations. Banana grower Aurelia, 53, said, “Climate change has been killing our crops. This means there is no income because we cannot sell anything. What is happening is that my plantation has been dying. So, what has been happening is death.” “In the past there was a prediction that this would happen in the future, but it has come earlier, and this is because we are not taking care of our motherland, our planet, our ecosystems, and this is very worrying for our kids and especially for our grandkids,” Aurelia added.

Bananas need a temperature range between 15-35 degrees Celsius to thrive but are also very sensitive to water shortages. Storms are a big problem with shredding leaves, making it much harder for the crop to photosynthesise. Fungal infections are also an increasing problem due to rising temperatures with one such disease, Fusarium Tropical Race 4, causing the loss of entire plantations. To reverse this decline and protect the world’s best banana growing regions, Christian Aid is calling for richer, polluting nations to urgently reduce their carbon emissions.

The development agency also calls for banana growers and agricultural communities to receive targeted support from international climate finance to adapt to the changing climate they have done little to cause. Consumers are being urged to help by choosing Fairtrade which ensures a greater amount is paid to banana farmers.

Shoppers can also seek out organic bananas to help tackle the high use of chemical fertilisers used in banana production which significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and harms ecosystems’ long-term health. Holly Woodward-Davey, Project Coordinator at Banana Link, which works across the supply chain, said, “Banana growers are facing ever more uncertainties due to climate change. Water scarcity and increased temperatures lead to lower yields and pressure on the income of rural people. It causes more dangerous working conditions for workers exposed to ever-increasing heat. “Due to heat stress, the banana plant becomes more vulnerable to diseases and infections. Without systemic change, we risk witnessing the devastation to Fusarium Tropical Race 4, a fungal infection that attacks the roots of plants and can lead to the complete loss of farms and plantations. “The disease is now found in key supplier countries of European supermarkets, such as Colombia and Peru.” 

(IANS)