The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has taken proactive steps to strengthen the preparedness capacity of eight Eastern African countries to cope with the increasing threat of emergent pests that threaten economic growth and sustainable development in the region. The majority of these pests are transboundary or invasive species and can easily spread, resulting in significant losses to farmers and threatening food security in the region.

One particular pest that is currently posing a threat to banana production in Eastern Africa is Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubese Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4). Fusarium wilt is currently absent in the Eastern African subregion, with a CABI and EPPO report in 2015 indicating that Foc TR4 is currently only known to be present in Mozambique. Most recently, reports also show its presence in Mayotte, and its occurrence in multiple continents around the world makes the potential for Foc TR4 to spread to other countries one of the greatest threats to worldwide banana production. During a workshop on "Strengthening Plant Health Emergency Management Capacities of the SADC Countries" held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 5-9 June 2023, The National Plant Protection Organization of Comoros reported that the pathogen was confirmed on one of the Comoros islands, making it the second African country to officially reporting Foc TR4 on Cavendish banana.  

To counter this threat, FAO is urging countries in Eastern Africa to improve their preparedness to prevent and manage the further spread and introduction of Foc TR4 to areas where it is currently absent. To address this urgent need, FAO, with the support of The Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (AU-IAPSC), organized a workshop on "The Preparedness of SFE Countries for the Threat of Banana Fusarium Wilt Tropical Race 4” in Nairobi, Kenya, between 12-16 June 2023. This activity is a part of the implementation of the global project OSRO/GLO/208/USA financed by the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (USAID BHA). It aims to build alliances between all relevant stakeholders to strengthen the plant health emergency management capacities of FAO member countries.

The workshop aimed at developing a coordinated approach to tackle the threat of Foc TR4 and safeguard economic growth and sustainable development. It brought together 31 participants from eight Eastern African countries, including Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda. The participants represented national plant protection organizations and research institutes, alongside global experts from Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

The workshop focused on raising awareness and sharing knowledge on the disease and developing national contingency plans for Foc TR4. FAO's efforts to strengthen preparedness capacity will help countries in Eastern Africa deal with the further spread and introduction of Foc TR4, safeguarding their banana crops and helping ensure their food security.