Future banana health may depend on diversity from farmers’ fields

As one of the world’s most widely produced and consumed fruits and staple foods, bananas (including plantain) are of vital importance.

But pests and diseases, such as the Tropical Race 4 fungal infection, and climate change, have put bananas at risk. In the face of such threats, the Bioversity International Musa Germplasm Transit Centre (ITC), has been working with national partners to find, collect and conserve banana diversity.

With funding and support from the CGIAR Genebank Platform, the ITC and its partners have embarked on several missions in recent years to find different varieties of bananas.

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