Climate Change Threatens Global Banana Production
A new study highlights the vulnerability of banana cultivation in Latin America and the Caribbean due to rising temperatures and extreme weather events.
Climate change is increasingly impacting agriculture worldwide, with alarming predictions for global banana production over the coming decades.
A recent report indicates that nearly two-thirds of banana-growing areas in Latin America and the Caribbean may become unsuitable for cultivation by 2080 due to adverse climatic changes.
In particular, the escalating temperatures, extreme weather events, and the proliferation of climate-related pests are significantly affecting banana-producing nations such as Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Colombia, leading to notable decreases in yield.
According to a report by Christian Aid, bananas are the most consumed fruit globally and, following wheat, rice, and maize, rank as the fourth most important food crop worldwide.
The banana, especially the Cavendish variety which dominates exports, is highly sensitive to environmental conditions.
Estimates indicate that approximately 80 percent of bananas supplied to supermarkets worldwide are sourced from Latin America and the Caribbean, a region especially vulnerable to extreme weather and the gradual onset of climatic disasters.
The Cavendish banana requires specific conditions for optimal growth, including temperatures between 15 and 35 degrees Celsius, sufficient yet not excessive water, and resilience against storms that can damage the plant's leaves and hinder photosynthesis.
Despite the existence of hundreds of banana varieties, the Cavendish accounts for the vast majority of exports, chosen by producing companies for its taste, robustness, and high yield.
A recent report indicates that nearly two-thirds of banana-growing areas in Latin America and the Caribbean may become unsuitable for cultivation by 2080 due to adverse climatic changes.
In particular, the escalating temperatures, extreme weather events, and the proliferation of climate-related pests are significantly affecting banana-producing nations such as Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Colombia, leading to notable decreases in yield.
According to a report by Christian Aid, bananas are the most consumed fruit globally and, following wheat, rice, and maize, rank as the fourth most important food crop worldwide.
The banana, especially the Cavendish variety which dominates exports, is highly sensitive to environmental conditions.
Estimates indicate that approximately 80 percent of bananas supplied to supermarkets worldwide are sourced from Latin America and the Caribbean, a region especially vulnerable to extreme weather and the gradual onset of climatic disasters.
The Cavendish banana requires specific conditions for optimal growth, including temperatures between 15 and 35 degrees Celsius, sufficient yet not excessive water, and resilience against storms that can damage the plant's leaves and hinder photosynthesis.
Despite the existence of hundreds of banana varieties, the Cavendish accounts for the vast majority of exports, chosen by producing companies for its taste, robustness, and high yield.
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