Ghana exported 75,000 tons of bananas to the European Union in 2023, generating US$52.47 million in revenue, mainly from shipments to France, the United Kingdom, and Italy, according to the Ghana Statistical Service and DG AGRI. The country cultivates about 9,239 hectares of dessert bananas and an additional 404,077 hectares of plantains and cooking bananas, making it one of West Africa's main producers (FAOSTAT, 2023).
With the threat of Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4) increasing, national stakeholders have intensified consultations on a coordinated response. The Banana Producers Association (BPA), the Association of Banana and Other Fruit Producers in Africa (AFRUIBANA), and the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Department (PPRSD) under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) agreed during a meeting in Accra on 17 June 2025 that the first step would be to organize a sensitization forum for the entire banana value chain.
The World Banana Forum (WBF) was identified as a strategic partner to support this process, particularly through its ability to deliver virtual sensitization programs. This aligns with national preferences for awareness campaigns.
The upcoming webinar will focus on raising awareness of the disease and supporting the development of a national action plan for TR4 prevention, monitoring, and management.
The objectives are to increase knowledge among national and local stakeholders on the biology, epidemiology, risks, diagnostic tools, and early symptoms of Fusarium Wilt TR4. Technical knowledge and global experiences on TR4 prevention, detection, containment, and response will also be shared. A further aim is to strengthen stakeholder engagement across the banana value chain to ensure integrated and timely interventions.
Source: World Banana Forum