Climate change is threatening banana production and exports across Latin America and the Caribbean. In Bahia, northeastern Brazil, farmer Ervino Kogler reports that 60 per cent of his 100-hectare plantation needs irrigation. He says a 2023 heatwave caused a 15 per cent fall in the next year's harvest, and that plants can stop functioning when temperatures reach about 40 degrees Celsius and humidity is very low.
A study published in Nature Food projects that, by 2080, suitable areas for export banana production could shrink by around 60 per cent without urgent interventions. The researchers found likely yield declines across most current banana zones and warned that socioeconomic limits, such as labour availability and infrastructure, will make adaptation difficult.
The team used satellite imagery, including radar, to map intensive banana production and identify climatic, soil and socioeconomic factors. Their maps show production at low altitude, with stable high temperatures and slightly acidic soils, often close to ports and urban centres. The study highlights Colombia and Costa Rica as particularly vulnerable, while southern Brazil and Ecuador appear more favourable.
Difficult words
- irrigation — artificial water supply to crops or land
- harvest — growing season's collected crop from plants
- humidity — amount of water in the air
- yield — amount of crop produced per area
- socioeconomic — relating to social and economic conditions
- infrastructure — basic structures and services for a community
- vulnerable — likely to be harmed or affected badly
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might farmers use irrigation to cope with hotter, drier conditions? Give one advantage and one difficulty.
- Why could limits like labour availability and infrastructure make adaptation hard for banana producers?
- How could changes in banana production affect towns near ports and urban centres?
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