The climate crisis poses a severe threat to global banana production, with a new report from Christian Aid indicating that nearly two-thirds of banana-growing regions in Latin America and the Caribbean may be unsuitable for cultivation by 2080. Key factors include rising temperatures, extreme weather, and climate-related pests affecting countries like Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Colombia. Bananas, the world’s most consumed fruit and a staple for over 400 million people, are crucial for local diets, providing 15% to 27% of daily calories for many.
Approximately 80% of banana exports, largely of the Cavendish variety, come from Latin America and the Caribbean. However, climate change threatens these crops by exacerbating conditions favorable to diseases like Fusarium Tropical Race 4 and the black-leaf fungus, which can dramatically hinder photosynthesis and devastate yields.
The report highlights the urgent need for wealthier nations, the primary contributors to climate change, to provide support for adaptation and to transition away from fossil fuels. Christian Aid emphasizes the importance of protecting this vital crop, which supports the livelihoods of communities largely uninvolved in the greenhouse gas emissions fueling global warming.
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