The wrong direction
1908- Ford’s Model T averaged 25 miles per gallon
2003- Ford’s fleet of new vehicles average 22.6 miles per gallon
06/13/2003
The banana conundrum
According to this article at the BBC banana’s could be going the way of the dinosaurs. The article states that “Edible bananas may disappear within a decade if urgent action is not taken to develop new varieties resistant to blight.” Primary threats, according to the article, are two fungi Panama disease, Black sigatoka and “pests”. The New Scientist has compared the situation to the potato blight of the 1840’s. Supposedly fungicides are becoming less effective. The only solution presented in the article is genetic engineering. They also suggest that this is a much greater problem for Africa because banana’s are essential for survival there.
I have to ask, is genetic engineering the only solution? What’s the problem? Is the problem pests and fungi or are those things symptoms? What about the lack of genetic diversity? The variety of banana which is being threatened is the “Cavendish” and that is, apparently, the only seedless banana. That in itself is a part of the problem. Perhaps another part of the problem is the growing methods? I’m guessing that banana’s are grown in centralized, large farms. This kind of mono cultural farming has consistently caused problems because it operates against the processes and patterns of nature. The nature of nature is diversity. I wonder, how would a permaculturalist address the banana conundrum?