The Banana Productivity Improvement Project is advocating that farmers implement simple resilience methods to guard against future severe weather events.
A recent tour of Saint Lucia’s farmlands following Tropical Storm Kirk revealed that the majority of the damages sustained were due to high wind speeds. Kerde Severin, Project Manager for the Banana Productivity Improvement Project, said those farms with wind breaks sustained fewer damages.
“It is a very interesting case,” he said. “What we noticed is that in those areas where there were barriers like mango trees, the impact was a little less. So as we move forward and we try to build resilience to climate change, it is one of the things that we have been advocating, but we will emphasize it even more.”
He explained that while most trees snapped under the weight of their fruit, others toppled, which is a cause for concern.
“The majority of losses were caused by trees snapping, and that speaks to productivity levels,” he said. “The bunches were heavy and even though they were propped, what happened was they snapped. So the majority—I would say between 60 and 70 percent of the crop—sustained damages due to snapping. The remainder toppled.
“We know for a fact, because we did a survey this year for nematodes, that there are high levels of nematode infestation. So under this program we have taken steps to try to ameliorate the situation. Some people were able to apply nematicides, but they are not always readily available. Where those persons applied, you saw results, so that is one of the issues we have had in the industry, where some of the necessary inputs are not available.”
Under the Banana Productivity Improvement Project critical inputs like oils, and the fungicides that control Black Sigatoka are readily supplied. Mr. Severin said it may be necessary to also consider nematicides and herbicides in order to sustain the health of tree roots.
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