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“Three for Three” - TaiwanICDF Showcases Achievements in Strengthening Banana Disease Prevention in three Central American Countries During Three-Week Tour
The International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) toured Panama, Guatemala and Belize on an exchange mission from July 6 to 23, as part of joint efforts to combat Fusarium TR4 (also known as Panama disease) in the countries’ banana crops.
The TaiwanICDF has been working with the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA) on these efforts as part of the Regional Project for the Prevention and Control of Fusarium TR4 of Banana in Central America.
The tour brought together agricultural experts, scholars, and plant health officials from across Latin America for technical forums and field exchanges in each country. The events highlighted the results of the four-year project and demonstrated Taiwan’s integrated capabilities and international contributions in the field of plant health and quarantine.
During the various technical seminars, the TaiwanICDF’s technical missions shared innovative disease prevention methods, including rapid testing strips for Fusarium wilt and trained detection dogs. They also showcased banana plantation monitoring techniques, which utilize satellite imagery and drones, reflecting Taiwan’s advanced capabilities in delivering “comprehensive disease prevention solutions.”
One key event was the International Forum on Banana Fusarium Wilt Prevention and Quarantine, held in Guatemala on July 15–16. The forum featured 13 experts from Taiwan, Cuba, Colombia, Brazil, and other countries. More than 170 quarantine officials and scholars from seven countries attended. High-level representatives from the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD) and the Council of Ministers of Agriculture (CAC) under the Central American Integration System (SICA) also delivered speeches, hosted booths where they presented sustainable development efforts, and explored new avenues for technical collaboration with Taiwan.
Facilitated by OIRSA, the TaiwanICDF-led expert delegation also visited the Panamanian Ministry of Agriculture’s laboratory for plant pathogens and pesticide residue testing. The team was received personally by Minister Roberto Linares, who had high praise for Taiwan’s expertise and expressed his hope that Panama could achieve strengthened agricultural resilience through continued cooperation with partners via the OIRSA platform.
In addition, Taiwan-based biotech firm GeneReach Biotechnology Corp. participated in the mission for the first time, at its own expense. The company showcased its fully automated and portable iiPCR testing equipment and reagent kits developed for detecting Foc TR4 in banana plants. Live demonstrations at the three countries’ technical forums attracted attention from local quarantine authorities and spurred preliminary discussions on future collaboration—highlighting Taiwan’s potential in contributing industrial solutions to global plant disease prevention.
TaiwanICDF Deputy Secretary-General Peifen Hsieh said that since 2022, the TaiwanICDF has worked with OIRSA on this regional banana disease management initiative, focusing on transnational cooperation within Central America. As the project is set to conclude this August, the TaiwanICDF organized this regional tour to provide more neighboring countries with exposure to Taiwan’s latest agricultural technologies and know-how. The initiative also concretely demonstrates Taiwan’s contributions to the Central American banana industry, she said.
The TaiwanICDF also invited representatives of Taiwanese companies to join the delegation, demonstrating Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung’s vision of implementing an integrated diplomatic approach through public-private collaboration.
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- Update: 2025/07/31
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