Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Friday, May 27, 2022
ECOGANIC BANANAS
GO TO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9z-dCZMrD4
Given that this video has been watched by so few and apparently rather few BANANAgrowers is lamentable. Clearly the Sciaccas have much yet to offer.
One has to wonder what they might be achieved with the production and marketing of plantain bananas, non Musa acuminata Cavendish bananas, banana flowers, banana stem and banana fibre even. If the likes of Dianne & Frank Sciacca received the encouragement it seems they didn't get from 'the industry' or government were might the industry be right now?
Dianne & Frank Sciacca's ACTION RESEARCH deserves to get more recognition than it has and especially so in regard to the PANAMA TR4 PROGRAM. It seems that ECOGANICfarming has something to offer and more to the point the funding to fight TR4 might well be better spent on other things.
Monday, May 23, 2022
BANANA RESEARCH
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Bananas are not just a food crop, they have huge industrial potential if opportunities are well exploited. As a matter of fact, banana as one of the 10 priority national food crops in the NDP with its vision to “A Transformed Ugandan Society from a Peasantto a Modern and Prosperous Country within 30 years." While Australia is not Uganda this by itself should not be the reason to ignore 'the banana's' potential as a 'food crop' in the way that it is clearly, and somewhat arrogantly, being ignored by by 'banana growers' in Australia. Given their largely Eurocentric heritage this may not be all that surprising.
Then comes what is all too often past of as research is initiated by 'the industry'. Consequently, it seems much of it hardly qualifies as 'research' leading to new and better understandings. Since the growing of bananas is an important agricultural activity and the banana plant is an important 'food source' there is a need for more research that leads to new and better understandings of its potential.
This definition of research encompasses pure and strategic basic research, applied research and experimental development. Applied research is original investigation undertaken to acquire new knowledge and that includes 'client driven' investigations.
INDUSTRIAL BANANA GROWING impacts upon CULTURALlandscapes and as often as not dynamically when it is grown as a MONOculture crop. Furthermore, as a 'fruit/berry' it figures large in Eurocentric cultural expressions but as a 'plant' as a 'food and fibre source' in Australia its potential remains largely unexplored territory.
Sunday, April 24, 2022
OH MY GOODNESS IS THIS FOR REAL?
After WW2 my father was a BANANA FARMER and before that my GREATgrandfather was one and my son and his partner have just bought a CLAPPEDout BANANA FARM - a slice of paradise actually. With all that in the background and what has been gleaned to post here, I'm finding it extraordinarily difficult to empathise in regard to this so-called crisis. If you are going to insist on doing the same but slightly differently in the search for a way out of a messy hole you are just digging a deeper hole. A paradigm shift is required.
Listen to Eienstein! Then ask 'what mistakes'?
Sunday, March 27, 2022
OUT OF TOUCH FOOD PRODUCERS?
With world food resources under stress is this one dimensional approach to food production in Australia acceptable with the industry reliant upon to PUBLIC PURSE to assist in maintaining the STATUS QUO unsustainable as it is?
Friday, March 18, 2022
BANANA WINE
The interesting thing here is that there are a variety of wines and a relatively diverse range of banana varieties of banana. All fit the local FOODculture and most interesting the Cavendish does not seem to figure at all.
The methodology involved in making this product is clearly articulated and it is easy to see this as a jumping off point for whole range of other products that would include blends and the distillation of spirits.
Thursday, March 17, 2022
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
BANANAS AND TR4
PANAMA TR4 PROGRAM TRANSITION MEETINGS HAPPENING THROUGH MARCH ........
All growers are invited to attend any of the below meetings to discuss the 2023 transition of Biosecurity Queensland’s Panama TR4 Program to the ABGC. The meetings are being hosted by ABGC across the following locations:........
• INNISFAIL: Thursday 3 March, 10am at Queens Hotel*........
• MISSION BEACH: Friday 4 March, 1pm at Mission Beach Resort*........
• TULLY: Thursday 10 March, 10am at Tully Leagues Club*........
• SOUTH JOHNSTONE: Friday 11 March, 1pm at DAF Research Centre ........
• MAREEBA: Thursday 17 March, 10am at DAF Mareeba ........
• SILKWOOD: Friday 18 March, 1pm at the Silkwood Hotel* ........
• BABINDA: Thursday 24 March, 10am at Babinda Taskforce community centre ........
(* Requires proof of vaccination to attend.)........RSVP TO: https://www.panamatr4protect.com.au/rsvp
If you’re unable to attend any of the above meetings but still wish to have your say on the future management of TR4, contact Geoff Wilson on 0418 644 068 or email geoff@abgc.org.au.
Have your say on the future management of Panama TR4 ........
Since Queensland’s first detection of Panama TR4 in March 2015, the Panama TR4 Program has worked closely with the ABGC to control and contain the disease.
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The Queensland Government has invested almost $42 million in the fight against Panama TR4 to June 2023, beyond which time industry will take leadership of the TR4 Program.
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Through the ABGC, industry has been co-funding the Panama TR4 Program since 2019, and in 2020 a Program Management Board was established to jointly fund, deliver and govern the strategic direction of the Program. ........
In a presentation at Congress earlier this month, ABGC CEO Jim Pekin put forth an invitation to growers to have their say on the future management of Panama TR4.
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“Beyond 2023, what the Panama TR4 Program looks like will depend on what industry wants, what is achievable within budget, and where the disease has spread to by that stage,” Jim said.
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An Industry Transition Leader, Geoff Wilson, has been appointed by the ABGC to work with growers and the TR4 Program on planning for future management of the disease. In doing so, Geoff is seeking input to understand where the focus areas should be within this framework.
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All growers are encouraged to have their say by contacting Geoff or filling out an online feedback form. Geoff can be reached on 0418 644 068 or geoff@abgc.org.au.
Monday, February 28, 2022
Saturday, February 26, 2022
SOMETHING BANANA TO LEARN HERE
PLEASE CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE
VIDEOlink ... https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=328242469240553
WHAT'S TO BE SAID HERE? ... Firstly, this video might well be understood as Chinese 'CULTURALpropaganda' albeit that much can be gleaned from this material. From an AUSTRALIANperspective there is much to see and especially so from the vantage point of industrial BANANAgrowing in the Australian CULTURALlandscape.
From that vantage point these things are gleanable:
- Not every household will have a 'kitchen' such as this one – not many in China as well;
- Culturally, within China and the Chinese diaspora there is an inclination to exploit the food possibilities of a 'resource' fully;
- There are DEEPhistories at work in this material;
- The FOODculture on display here is typically 'romantically exoticised' in Australia and thus discounted within Australia's PERIcolonial sensibilities and sensitivities ... sadly.
Consequently, demonstrably in the marketplace, here especially so in SUPERmarkets, there is no apparent will, nor inclination, nor disposition to service a so-called exotic clientele – Orientials, HIPPYdippies, WORLDLYtravellers et al. Likewise, these marketers are quite, quite inclined to set 'standards' that pander to 'the lowest common denominator' and totally ignore the diversity dispositions of 'the marketplace of ideas'. This renders BANANAgrowers as 'price takers' and insists that they only produce 'fruit' – fruit that isn't straight, too big, too small, not wonky in any way and only a dessert fruit and never a vegetable and ideally Cavendish bananas.
There is much bigger discussion that needs to be engaged with yet it seems that 'STATUS QUOISM' is alive and well in the Australian PERIcolonial mindset that seems to dominate 'the banana market'. If only that was not the case!
Quotable Quote ... Ronald Reagan “Status quo, you know, is Latin for 'the mess we're in'.”
Luther Blissett TASMANIA FEB 2022
YET LOOK AT THESE LINKS
Scholars have discovered that the issue with world hunger is not a food shortage, but the logistics behind food distribution. We need to improve access to food by looking at production strategies, trade agreements and food aid. Here is a quote to do with world hunger.
“We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist, one-third rich and two-thirds hungry.”
Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States.
AN AUSTRALIAN UNFULFILLED OPPORTUNITY
VIDEOlink ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZRptMiXyi4
It is somewhat extraordinary that Australian BANANAgrowers seem to be totally unable to see the opportunities right in front of them and Asian farmers pick up on and run with. It seems that unless there is a 'supply chain' established by someone else they are unable to act independently and then go running to 'the government' to help them out etc. etc. etc.
Friday, February 25, 2022
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
BANANAalert
Do you provide a service or do business in Far North Queensland? ........ With 94% of Australia’s bananas grown in the region we need your help to protect our industry from Panama TR4 – a devastating disease of bananas. ........ That’s why we’ve joined forces with @Biosecurity Queensland to create an e-learning module which you can use for new staff inductions and even toolbox talks about how we can slow the spread of the disease. Show your commitment to being Panama TR4 aware and give it a go at
https://www.panamatr4protect.com.au/elearning
BE ALERT AND VERY ALARMED!
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