Around 260,000 hectares between Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru will be under active surveillance in a plan against Fusarium Tropical Race 4. In addition, 8,000 producers and agricultural workers will be trained in managing the disease on banana farms, and all members of the cooperation network in Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru will sign an agreement to fight the pest. 

These were the results of the symposium "Regional Experiences in Management and Prevention of Foc TR4", developed in the province of El Oro by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Ecuador, the Agency for Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control (Agrocalidad) with the support of the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ), the National Institute of Agricultural Research (Iniap), and the Technical University of Machala. 

At the forum, Ecuadorian and international experts from countries such as Colombia, Peru, Mozambique, the Philippines, and Ecuador addressed issues related to the containment of the pest and the management of the Formosana variety, a tolerant plant that has been tested in Ecuador since 2022, in addition to the possible impacts of Foc TR4 on the economy of Ecuador and research initiatives in Colombia, and Peru in the presence of the pest, among other topics. 

The event happened within the framework of the ALER4TA project, which aims to increase resilience to the Musaceae wilt disease caused by the fungus and is focused on three lines of action: 

1. Strengthen capacities that allow for rapid identification and response to contain new outbreaks of Foc TR4. 

2. Expand and strengthen research projects to generate short-, medium- and long-term solutions. 

3. Containment of existing cases of Foc TR4 in Colombia and Peru to prevent their spread.