Department of Plant Pathology •

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences

Altus ViljoenDepartment of Plant Pathology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

The African consortium for Foc TR4: The good, the bad and the ugly

Contents

• Lessons from Asia

• Preparing Africa against Foc TR4

• Discovering Foc TR4 in Mozambique

• Establishing AC4TR4

• Scientists created global panic!

• Supporting Mozambique

• Growing awareness of Foc TR4 in Africa

• The future is uncertain

• Potential impact of Foc TR4 in Africa

• Finale

• In conclusion

Lessons from Asia1999: Malaysia: 2nd Fusarium wilt of banana

workshop2000: Thailand: Global Banana Meeting, Bangkok2004: Malaysia: 1st Global Banana Meeting and

PROMUSA working group meetings. 2006: Malaysia: Fusarium wilt of banana workshop

Philippines: Advisor to Philippine Banana Growers and Exporter Association

2008: China: Meeting of the National Forum of the Chinese Banana IndustryIndonesia: End-of-project review of ACIAR project CP/2004/034, Solok

2009: China: ISHS/ProMusa meeting on Asian Challenges

2010: China: South African-China collaboration 2011: Philippines: Philippine Phytopathology

meeting and research visit2012: Thailand: International Banana Conference2013: Renewal of SA-China collaboration2014: Philippines: Sabbatical visit

Preparing Africa against Foc TR4

VARIETY TYPE % PD

Igitsiri (Intuntu) EAHB - AAA 3

Mbwazirumi EAHB- AAA 3

Ingagara EAHB- AAA 5

Inkira EAHB- AAA 4

Akpakpak Plantain – AAB 1

Obubit Ntanga Plantain – AAB 0

Enzirabahima EAHB- AAA 3

Kazirakwe EAHB- AAA 1

Ibwi EAHB- AAA 32

Williams EAHB- AAA 46

Email date: June 2010

‘Dear Dr Viljoen, GK was kind enough to share his correspondence on Foc TR4 he had exchanged with you. We appreciative your decision to cancel pathogenicity trials (in Stellenbosch)’

‘Gracias XX. We do plan to perform such tests here in Wageningen as I believe we're most equipped to do it, but we do this independently. GK

Testing African bananas against Foc TR4

Discovering Foc TR4 in Mozambique

In summary, I would like to put the outbreak of banana Fusarium wilt at MetocheriaFarms into perspective:1. This is the first introduction of Foc TR4 into Africa, and will be of considerable

concern to all involved in banana production throughout the continent.2. The disease is spreading at an alarming pace throughout Farm 2. This farm will

most likely be lost to further banana production within the next 3-5 years.3. The movement of people, clay soils and the poor drainage of fields all provide

significant opportunities for the disease to spread within and between farms.4. There is a risk that Foc TR4 may spread to other Cavendish banana production

areas in Mozambique and neighboring countries.5. Resistant Cavendish selections are present in Asia, but these are neither

immune nor adapted to all areas where Cavendish bananas are cultivated.6. Matanuska will be blamed, rightly or wrongly, for any future outbreaks of the

disease in Mozambique and on the African continent.7. For the above reasons, it is of utmost importance that urgent and rigorous steps

be taken to eradicate not only the affected, but all bananas grown on Farm 2 toprevent further inoculum increase and spread to non-infested areas.

First report on Foc TR4 to Matanuska

Scientists create global panic!

• ‘As you might have heard by now, Foc TR4 has been introduced into a Cavendish banana export plantation in Mozambique….’ - Nov 2013

• Following the outbreak in Mozambique, The World Banana Forum established a TR4 Task Force in December 2013 in The Netherlands

Lies and deceit … all for moneyConcept paper for publication in Nature: Banana Fusarium wilt goes wild‘Last week a large banana operation in Mozambique confirmed the presence of TR4 in Africa’ Proposed authors: Gert HJ Kema, Altus Viljoen and Miguel Dita - November 2013

Dear ….‘Following our teleconference I have discussed and developed an intervention program to manage TR4 in Metocheria Farms’ - November 2013

Dear ….‘NWO-WOTRO has an open call … which provides an excellent opportunity for setting up a collaborative project. ‘You may remember that we have developed the TR4 molecular diagnostic that is currently applied in many countries to conform TR4 incursions, including in Mozambique, or outsourced to Altus Viljoen. This call provides us with an opportunity to establish the technology, train personnel, perform wider monitoring schemes …’ - March 2015

Establishing AC4TR4

Foc TR4 workshop in Stellenbosch, South Africa22-24 April 2014

AC4TR4 partners and collaboratorsCountry Representatives• Burundi• DRC• Kenya• Malawi• Mozambique• Rwanda• South Africa• Tanzania• Uganda• Zambia• Zimbabwe

Growers/Grower Associations:• Matanuska• BGASA• DuRoi Laboratories

CGIAR Institutions:• SADC• FAO• ASARECA• COMESA• BARNESA

Universities:• Stellenbosch University• Eduardo Mondlane University

Research Institutes:• IITA• Biodiversity International

International partners:• BAPNET members

Action plan for Foc TR4 in Africa

Goal:To control the current disease outbreak of banana Fusarium wilt (Foc TR4) in Mozambique and to prepare other African countries that rely on banana for food security and income generation, against similar incursions.

Objectives:1. Arrest and contain the spread of Foc TR4 in Mozambique and surrounding

countries2. Strengthen the capacity of NARS to sustainably manage the disease in

Africa3. Institute mechanisms to coordinate and communicate AC4TR4 activities in

Africa.4. Carry out research to generate new information and technologies for

sustainable management of Foc TR4

Stellenbosch declaration on Foc TR4WE HEREBY JOINTLY AGREE TO

1. Fully develop and implement a continental strategy, under the direction of an African Foc TR4 Task Force, to contain Foc TR4 in Mozambique and to prevent similar incursions elsewhere in Africa.

2. Provide and enhance technical capacity on the continent, and to implement and monitor phytosanitary systems.

3. Report and map new outbreaks of Foc TR4 in African Member States and communicate information on new outbreaks, successful containment, and prevention initiatives.

4. Recognize that Foc TR4 is a continental issue that requires coordination and collaboration between NPPOs, RECs, ICPs, research institutions, universities, governments, and other relevant stakeholders throughout Africa.

5. Develop and apply appropriate diagnostic services, provide training, raise awareness, monitor disease spread, and screen banana germplasm for Foc TR4 resistance.

6. Call upon African and international organizations to recognize and support the activities of AC4TR4 by investing in research, awareness programs, human capacity, and infrastructure development on the continent.

7. Develop a regional Pest Risk Analysis document and set of phytosanitary measures, enforced by Member States, to prevent the spread of Foc TR4 and other quarantine pests of banana.

8. Encourage governments in Africa to formulate the necessary legislation to protect farm owners against foreign plant pests.

sun.ac.za/banana-fusarium-wilt-africa

Objectives of the FAO of the UN

Supporting Mozambique

Improved Foc TR4 management

The new, improved strategy for Foc TR4consists of two main components:

1. The management of Fusarium wilt onthe farm where containment was nofurther possible• Planting of resistant plants• Proper destruction of infected

plants• Water management• Soil management

2. The prevention of Foc TR4 to spreadbeyond farm borders• Movement of planting materials• Movement of soil (shoes, vehicles)• Movement of water

Growing awareness in Africa

• SADC Plant Protection Technical Committee meeting. Gaborone, Botswana• ACIAR - Root, Tuber and Banana meeting, Entebbe, Uganda• BARNESA meeting, Entebbe, Uganda• IPPC Near-East meeting, Cairo, Egypt • USAID meeting on awareness. VIP Hotel, Maputo, Mozambique• Banana Fusarium wilt Foc TR4 presentation, CIRAD, La Reunion • The global status of banana Fusarium wilt. FAREI offices, Mauritius• Foc TR4 in Africa. CABI/ACIAR workshop on Biosecurity. Arusha, Tanzania • Southern Africa Phytosanitary Inspection Workshop. APHIS, Pretoria, SA• Foc TR4 diagnostics and surveillance workshop. Stellenbosch (South Africa),

Nampula (Mozambique), Kampala (Uganda), Arusha (Tanzania)

The future is uncertain

Potential impact of Foc TR4 in Africa• Foc TR4 has a larger host range than races 1, 2

and ‘subtropical’ race 4,• East African Highland banana and plantains

seems to be resistant but not immune to Foc TR4

Direct impact:• Foc has destroyed +/- 1 million plants at

Matanuska and 1 200 plants at Jacaranda• At 15 000 plants affected/week, losses are

estimated at US$ 236 000/week• In Africa, 70-100 million people depend on

bananas• Bananas make up 50% of permanent crops in

ECA, valued at US$4.3 billion

Indirect impact:• Matanuska: US$ 1.5 million to local economy• Consumer trust: negative impact on banana

exports and related industries • Companies provide education, health services

A proper risk assessment is required

Locations affected by Foc TR4

Countries affected by Foc TR4

Countries at high risk of Foc TR4

Countries at risk of Foc TR4

Spread of Foc TR4 into Africa

Policy document on Foc TR4

Finale

More than 1 million banana plants had now been killed at Matanuska.

Weekly losses exceed 15 000 plants, with none of the plants being

burned. Spores are deposited directly back into the soils, and are washed

into the Monapo river from where they are spread into the region.

As in Asia, no large donor has yet committed in helping Africa dealing with

Foc TR4. These donors appear to be more concerned about the threat of

Foc TR4 to Latin America than helping the African and Asian continents in

dealing with the disease, thereby enabling food security.

In conclusion

• Asia has become the global leader in practical banana Fusarium wilt research. Coordination of regional efforts within BAPNET is exemplary.

• National efforts to report and deal with outbreaks should be respected by international scientists and organizations. What is happening with Foc TR4 in Pakistan following its first report by foreign scientists?

• Foc TR4 has become a business proposition for international research groups trying to exploit growing global concerns about the disease

• Foc TR4 will soon move beyond the borders of Matanuska and Jacaranda. The impact of Foc TR4 to bananas in Africa is unclear

• The ability of plant health authorities in Mozambique, and in several other African countries to deal with Foc TR4, is questionable.

• Africa and Asia needs to collaborate more closely on Foc TR4, and jointly approach donors for research support

Acknowledgements

Thank you!