• Announcement
09. December 2022

An article by Kim Hillenbrand 

The film highlights the challenges faced by banana farmers: Three Ecuadorian banana farmers share their experiences and highlight opportunities for more sustainable practices. The critical role of climate change, diseases and infections, but also low prices are highlighted - especially in view of the high investment costs for sustainable certification procedures.

“It is of utmost importance that the end consumers, the supermarkets, and wholesalers all acknowledge the effort of the farms and all the hard work that goes into organic farming.”

Rommel Betancourt

General Food Safety Coordinator, Agrocalidad Ecuador 

Banana growers have to cope with a complex set of challenges, with many factors interacting in the production phase. More insights into best practices are required to make banana farming more resilient. While the pandemic has impacted the banana sector in Ecuador significantly, climate change, next to pests, diseases, and fungal infections remain, and the low prices remain central problems. The illustrations of three Ecuadorian banana growers shed light on possibilities of better and more sustainable banana production practices, emphasizing the role of certification schemes.

Voluntary certification schemes are thought to address important sustainability issues, however, they place a significant administrative and financial burden on producers. Among others, organic or Fairtrade certification have been investigated in numerous research to outline sustainability outcomes yet also the high investment costs that occur, especially considering the impact on small-scale producers.

Appealing to the other supply chain actors, banana growers have pointed to the need and responsibility of counterbalancing these costs with higher product prices. Acknowledging the necessity of such financial or other benefits is thought to determine the future path of the banana sector in Latin America. While they are a bargain on the shelves, the price of cheap bananas has to be paid elsewhere: higher prices are required to make the journey of your banana more sustainable.