03/18/2022: When we choose certified bananas and pineapples at the supermarket checkout, we are supporting farmers who protect the habitat of many species and thus contribute to the preservation of life on our planet. Most banana and pineapple producers have their farms in Latin American countries such as Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. The campaign "Biodiversity pays off: bananas and pineapples from biodiversity-friendly production", launched in December by the Global Nature Fund (GNF), the Lake Constance Foundation and its partners in the project "Del Campo al Plato", aims to make the sustainable practices of these producers visible.
Competition for the best ideas in biodiversity conservation A key component of the campaign is an ideas competition that honors and showcases particularly innovative biodiversity conservation measures. Emilie Dardaine, consultant at the GFA Consulting Group and partner in the "Del Campo al Plato" project, explains: "We have already awarded nearly thirty measures in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic as part of the competition. The winning initiatives of the ideas competitions are supported by the program with funds ranging from US$10,000 to US$25,000 per project. In addition, the winners have contributed capital that can be more than double our contribution - this applies to large companies such as Chiquita, Del Monte and Dole, which we have also recognized for their commitment, along with medium-sized and small businesses. Positive competition is a very good way to draw attention to sustainable strategies and support initiatives that are successful in the long term: They arise from a need of the producers themselves to care for the natural foundations from which they benefit in their work. We support them in the long-term management of biodiversity on and around pineapple and banana plantations, and in the protection of soil and water."
The competition has attracted a great deal of interest: 100 proposals have already been submitted since the project began, and a video of some of the measures implemented has been clicked more than 1,000 times on YouTube within a few days. Not only the pineapple and banana sector, but also other industries have shown interest, such as coffee producers. "Our competition is shaping future trends in both sectors and beyond," Dardaine enthuses. "We want the innovative measures to be emulated by other producers. The ideas competition is ultimately part of a business case: it makes sense for companies to consider their production and image, environment and biodiversity."
Diverse approaches to biodiversity-friendly banana and pineapple production Measures include creating biotope corridors on farms for wildlife passage, making natural fibers from pineapple stubble for handicrafts or paper production, and planting diverse flora along roads, ditches and edges of banana plantations to protect bees and beneficial insects.
Dardaine is particularly impressed by the variety of approaches to promote beneficial microorganisms that protect plants from pests and pathogens: "This is most interesting for producers in both countries. We have supported nine projects on the application of biological solutions alone, all of which pay attention to improving soil quality by promoting the production of earthworm humus, for example. The use of drones can support these measures, for example, by allowing more targeted applications that reduce water use." Protecting soil biodiversity, he said, has positive effects on overall biodiversity and safeguards yields in the long term - so it's a particularly promising approach to preserving biodiversity in banana and pineapple production over the long term.
Video of the competition Further information on the winning measures of the competition for ideasFurther information on the "Del Campo al Plato" project and the "Biodiversity bears fruit" campaign (in German)