Bananas under threat as rising temperatures kill crops
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Bananas are coming under increasing threat from climate change, according to a new report.
Analysis by Christian Aid, the international development charity, showed that rising temperatures and climate-related pests are putting bananas at risk.
It found that nearly two-thirds of the most suitable banana-growing areas in Latin America and the Caribbean – a region responsible for around 80 per cent of the world's banana exports – could be lost by 2080 because of climate impacts.
Bananas grow in a temperature range of between 15-35C but are also very sensitive to water shortages, meaning that increasingly extreme weather is affecting the plant's ability to photosynthesise.
Diseases such as fusarium tropical race 4 have also emerged as a growing threat in recent years, causing the loss of entire farms across Latin America.
Christian Aid cited farmers from the region who said their farms are 'dying', which in turn is affecting their income.
Aurelia Pop Xo, 53, a banana grower in Guatemala, said: 'Climate change has been killing our crops. This means there is no income, because we cannot sell anything. What is happening is that my plantation has been dying.
'In the past, there was a prediction that this would happen in the future, but it has come earlier, and this is because we are not taking care of our motherland, our ecosystems, and this is very worrying for our kids – and especially for our grandkids.'
In light of the findings, Christian Aid is urging developed nations to urgently reduce their carbon emissions to stem the growing impacts of climate change.
It has also called for international climate finance to support banana growers and agricultural communities to adapt to the changing climate.
Osai Ojigho, Christian Aid's director of policy and campaigns, said: 'Bananas are not just the world's favourite fruit, but they are also an essential food for millions of people. The lives and livelihoods of people who have done nothing to cause the climate crisis are already under threat.'
Ms Ojigho called on countries to use this year's deadline for new UN national climate action plans as an opportunity to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and ensure climate finance 'reaches people in desperate need of it'.
Elsewhere, consumers and businesses are being urged to choose bananas certified as Fairtrade, which ensures farmers are paid more for their crops.
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