Go with the Nederbanana: these researchers have done it
The banana problem we wrote about earlier is really no joke. The future of the banana is threatened by fungal diseases and monoculture, and prices are far too low, leaving growers with virtually no money to change course and try out other techniques. So we may be wiping out our big yellow friend ourselves, and that really sucks. But somewhere, there is a glimmer of hope…
Because although the banana is, first and foremost, a tropical plant by origin, some of our clever Dutch compatriots are succeeding in growing a new national treasure in our own cold, rainy little country: the Nederbanana!
Bittersweet
Be sure to take a look at the Neder Banaan website soon, because although there is a serious story behind it (at the current rate, it will soon be “the end of the banana”) that is explained very clearly by Gert Kema, professor of plant pathology at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), the tone and message are otherwise positive and optimistic.
And rightly so, because Neder Banaan, a WUR spin-off, has succeeded in growing bananas in a special substrate made from coconut fibers. This means the plant does not depend on soil to grow in and is therefore less susceptible to soil fungi, according to the website. No pesticides are needed either, and the right nutrients can be determined precisely, while no nutrients leach into the soil. So many win-win situations; go read all about it!
Bananas wherever you look
The knowledge generated by all this research at the World Food Center in Ede is shared with banana farmers around the world, helping contribute to the long-term future of banana cultivation. And those bananas and their by-products are turned into the coolest things: éclairs, beer, soft underwear, and more.
Let’s go bananas
At any rate, we are catching this wave of optimism. Come on, let’s roll up our sleeves and go with the Nederbanana! Read the full (seriously great) story of Neder Banaan here.
Also read:
- Eddie’s food pet peeves: I was served a banana with the peel on, sliced
- You’ve been eating your banana wrong your entire life
- Eating a banana in public always feels a little bit pornographic
