Colombia hosted the Regional Workshop: "Challenges to the Sustainability of Musaceae Cultivation in Latin America: Lessons Learned from the Management of Foc R4T and Perspectives on Health and Climate Risks," held from September 1-3 at the Tibaitatá Research Center in Mosquera, Cundinamarca, and led by the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation - AGROSAVIA, with the participation of the Agrovid Group Foundation, the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ), and FONTAGRO.

The event was aimed at scientific personnel from research institutes and national plant health protection organizations in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Venezuela, and Colombia, among other countries interested in strengthening their capacities to address this issue. Its objective was to create a space for technical exchange that would allow for the analysis of sustainability challenges in banana cultivation in the region, the sharing of experiences and lessons learned in the prevention, containment, and management of Fusarium wilt R4T, and the strengthening of collaboration among regional institutions.

During the event, the results of the project funded by FONTAGRO, "Strengthening Capacities for the Prevention and Management of Fusarium Wilt of Bananas in Latin America and the Caribbean," were presented by representatives from Ecuador, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Panama, and Colombia. The presentation was key to the exchange of experiences among the participating countries and became a regional benchmark due to its main achievements, including the development and validation of protocols for the diagnosis, prevention, and management of Foc R4T; biosecurity tools for small-scale producers; the identification of promising banana varieties due to their resistance; beneficial microorganisms and biological and disinfectant products with potential for its control; and recommendations for the management of soils affected by the pathogen.

The opening session featured the participation of María Victoria Zuluaga, Director of the Tibaitatá Research and Technology Transfer Center of AGROSAVIA; Elkin Valencia, Executive Director of the Agrovid Group Foundation; and Eugenia Saini, Executive Secretary of FONTAGRO, who highlighted the importance of this regional project funded by FONTAGRO. Saini noted the significant results achieved, from the standardization of diagnostic methodologies and biosecurity and soil management practices to the training and technology transfer of thousands of producers in the region.

To learn more about the project "Strengthening Capacities for the Prevention and Management of Fusarium Wilt of Musaceae," visit here.