When we think of banana production, the Netherlands might not be the first country to come to mind. But bananas were indeed harvested in the country last week, the first crop from the Neder Banaan greenhouse in the town of Ede, central Netherlands. The greenhouse is the result of a collaboration with researchers from Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and is using new cultivation methods and banana varieties that will contribute to more sustainable banana cultivation worldwide.
In addition to the Cavendish variety, which accounts for the vast majority of banana exports, the greenhouse is also producing the Gros Michel variety, once the world’s most popular export banana before being devastated by disease, plantain and bananas for beer making. The bananas are being grown in an innovative way. Rather than being grown in the soil they are raised in pots containing coconut fibre substrate. Lifting banana plants from the soil protects them from enemies such as soil-borne fungi, bacteria and nematodes. And their final destination is innovative too. Besides being used in cakes and to create a speciality beer, banana peel is being transformed into a vegan meat substitute and trunk fibres are being processed into lingerie and transport pallets.
The possibility of avoiding disease is particularly key in the banana sector where Fusarium wilt or Panama disease is a global threat to banana cultivation. WUR has been one of the institutes exploring and researching new growing methods and banana varieties for years.
This work is taking place under the guidance of phytopathology professor Gert Kema, a member of ENDURE’s original banana case study group (2007-2010) and ‘spiritual father’ to Neder Banaan. “If we do not develop new banana varieties and cultivation methods, the banana will perish,” he told the WUR website. “For consumers in the West, this may be bearable, but for more than 400 million people in the tropics, the banana is their main source of nutrition. For many farmers in the tropics, it is also an indispensable source of income. Therefore, we really need to take action.”
Though the greenhouse is small, it is hoping to have a big impact. “By using waste streams, less in the way of new raw materials is needed,” Neder Banaan director Pieter Vink told the website. “Of course, we are innovating on a small scale, but worldwide, there are enormous volumes of plants and banana peels that currently end up as waste. We hope that our innovations inspire banana growers worldwide and contribute to a more sustainable sector.”
*WUR is launching a new post-Masters course focused on designing for a sustainable future in January 2022. Designs for Agrifood & Ecological Systems is expected to become a critical link between developing scientific knowledge and its practical application. The trade and industry sector is enthusiastic about the programme, lecturer Marjolein Derks told the WUR website. “This is because we are on the verge of critical transitions in agriculture, how we handle nature, housing and soil use. This knowledge is being developed, but reality is often stubborn. What works in the lab does not always work in the outside world. This programme is designed to bridge that gap. To translate scientific knowledge into a proof of principle that works in practice.”
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