SAU, Australian Project join hands to protect Banana Crop from Panama Wilt & BBTV

HYDERABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Jun, 2026) Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam, and an Australian government-supported international research initiative have agreed to strengthen collaboration to protect Pakistan’s banana industry from devastating diseases, including Panama Wilt and Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV), which pose a growing threat to a crop that accounts for more than 90 per cent of the country’s banana production.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between SAU Vice Chancellor Engr Dr Altaf Ali Siyal and Dr Munawar Raza Kazmi, focal person of the international project, “Agroecological Management of Sustainable Banana Systems for Smallholders in Asia.” The project is being implemented with support from the Australian government and is led by the University of Queensland, Australia.

The meeting focused on strengthening research cooperation, developing sustainable disease-management strategies, and enhancing the resilience of banana production systems against emerging biological and climate-related challenges.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Altaf Ali Siyal said Sindh remains the backbone of Pakistan’s banana industry, providing livelihoods to thousands of farming families across major banana-growing districts, including Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar and Thatta.

“International cooperation is essential to safeguard Pakistan’s banana industry from rapidly increasing biological threats and the impacts of climate change,” he said, while appreciating the objectives of the project and expressing the university’s commitment to collaborative research and technology transfer.

Dr Munawar Raza Kazmi, Country Manager at Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Islamabad briefed the Vice Chancellor on the project and said it aims to address the growing threat of Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4), widely known as Panama disease, which is considered one of the most destructive diseases affecting banana crops worldwide.

<?php /*?> <?php */?>

The project also seeks to develop solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on banana production.

He said the initiative is being implemented across Australia, Indonesia, Laos, Pakistan and the Philippines, bringing together international expertise to support smallholder farmers and strengthen sustainable banana production systems. In Pakistan, SAU Tandojam, will lead the project and Prof. Dr. Rehana Naz Syed will be the focal person in this project.

According to Dr Kazmi, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, water scarcity and declining soil fertility are making banana plants increasingly vulnerable to diseases while reducing the resilience of farming systems. He said the project adopts an agroecological approach that combines soil health improvement, beneficial microorganisms, disease-risk reduction, climate adaptation and active farmer participation.

“The goal is to improve soil fertility, promote biodiversity, enhance natural disease resistance and support long-term sustainable banana production for smallholder farmers,” he added.

Dr Muhammad Ibrahim Khaskheli said banana crops in Sindh are currently facing serious threats from both Panama disease and Banana Bunchy Top Virus, resulting in reduced yields, declining fruit quality and increased production costs.

He warned that without timely preventive and management measures, the spread of these diseases could pose a significant threat to the future of banana cultivation in Sindh, which serves as the country’s principal banana-producing region.

In last, discussions was elaborated on future joint research activities specially on climate change and its impact on cropping patterns, inter-cropping with pulses, promotion of soyabean crops for sustainable production.

The meeting concluded with discussions on capacity-building programs, farmer training initiatives and awareness campaigns aimed at promoting sustainable, climate-resilient and disease-resistant banana production systems across Sindh.