In a statement, DA-11 said the funding for the projects will be coursed through the respective Quick Response Fund of the provincial governments of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro.
At least 138.5 hectares of Fusarium-affected banana areas are targeted for rehabilitation, benefiting 225 farmer-beneficiaries in the two provinces.
"The amount will be used to support banana production, which includes the provision of livelihood assistance to banana growers affected by Fusarium wilt or Panama disease in the two provinces," the statement said.
The project, "Kaagapay sa Malambuong Pagpanaging," aptly translated as "a companion to prosperous banana farming," covers production inputs that include 6,648 bags of Ammosul fertilizers, 1,385 bags of Muriate of Potash, 6,648 bottles of disinfectant, and 288,080 packs of Trichoderma, among others.
Fusarium wilt is a soil-borne pathogen that is attracted to banana plants. It can remain dormant for 30 to 50 years. The fusarium fungi clog the plant's vascular system, depriving it of necessary nutrients and moisture, ultimately causing it to turn yellow and die.
