Innovative partnership for sustainable banana cultivation
Together with our long-standing exclusive partner farm San Miguel de Brasil in Ecuador and the HREDD Support Fund* (Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence), we have launched a new banana cultivation project that uses a soil fungus to protect against Moko disease.
This bacterial disease is highly contagious in banana cultivation and spreads rapidly. Entire plantations can be destroyed within a very short time. Several thousand hectares of cultivated land in Ecuador are already affected. Further spread would result in declining harvests, rising production costs, and loss of income for farms, thereby jeopardizing a sector that is one of the country’s most important exporters and employers.
Natural plant protection reimagined
With this project, we want to show how agriculture can work in harmony with nature. The focus is on the targeted use of natural practices that strengthen the resilience of plants. The soil fungus (Trichoderma asperellum) is a healthy, sustainable, and socially responsible alternative to conventional pesticides.
But how exactly does it work? Trichoderma is usually purchased as an external product. However, since the strains used are not necessarily adapted to the individual soil and site conditions of the farms, the desired effectiveness is sometimes not achieved. To compensate for these uncertainties, copper lime broth is used as a supplement. Although this is permitted in organic banana cultivation, it does pose ecological risks. Copper, for example, is not biodegradable and therefore accumulates in the soil. If it enters the water, it can be toxic to plants and animals and also poses risks to humans if used improperly.
Innovative container laboratory for healthy soils and stable yields
Against this backdrop, a container laboratory was set up at our partner farm as part of the project, where Trichoderma is extracted from soil samples taken from the farm and propagated. This allows microorganisms adapted to the location to be used, which are distributed across the farms via the existing irrigation system.
There, the fungus improves the soil structure, promotes nutrient uptake by the banana plants, and forms a natural protective layer around the roots against germs. This increases yields, product quality, and plant resilience.
Measurable results and long-term prospects
In the first few months of the project, 280 kg of Trichoderma were produced and used on 38 fincas. This not only prevented Moko disease, but also significantly reduced the need for conventional pesticides and the costs of fertilizers and pesticides.
In the long term, we expect an even greater reduction in the need for fertilizers and conventional pesticides, as well as the associated costs, healthier soils, and more resistant plants. To further strengthen and disseminate the approach, our partner farm and its laboratory are also regularly visited by local institutions and agricultural students, with whom they are happy to share their experience and knowledge.
Agriculture of the future
This is how we understand agriculture of the future: as a learning process that constantly evolves in harmony with natural systems. And it is precisely this path that motivates us to continue learning, trying new things, and advancing sustainable agriculture together.
*The HREDD Support Fund is a joint initiative of Fairtrade Deutschland e.V. and Forum Fairer Handel e.V. It is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
