Archives April 2023

The World Banana Forum has become an assembly dedicated to the improvement of the industry and the promotion of better sustainable production practices. Different stakeholders (retailers, importers, producers, exporters, associations and governments, among others) of the global banana supply chain work together based on the idea that collaboration is the key to achieving advancement.

Banana Forum Mission

The Forum’s main mission is to foster collaboration among all stakeholders for industry improvement and to build a consensus on the implementation of good practices in labor, equity, environmental impact, sustainable production and economics.

Banana Forum Commissions

The Forum consists of 3 commissions:

• Sustainable Production Systems with Environmental Impact (CT01): This commission addresses the main challenges of banana production in order to develop a path to improvement in the environmental sustainability of production systems. The four specific issues on which this commission works are tropical Fusarium Race 4, agroecological practices and water management, the carbon footprint, and sustainable agricultural practices.
• Work Commission on Value Distribution (CT02): This group works to achieve a fair value distribution in the supply chain through the development of a basic study, based on the Anker model, of the methodologies available to implement living wages. 
• Labor Rights (CT03): This advisory body focuses on the rights of employees and works together with the FAO and the International Labor Organization. Its work concentrates on three main areas: freedom of association and collective bargaining, health and safety, and gender equality.

Commitment to employees

AgroAmerica is committed to the fair treatment of our employees and contributing to their well-being and thus are part of the Working Commission on Value Distribution of the World Banana Forum. The Living Wages for Life initiative seeks to provide economic sustainability by establishing benchmarks for living wages in the industry.

We have incorporated traceability as an essential element in the business and commercial environment. It makes it possible to identify, trace and locate the origin of products or components within the production chain. Traceability has become the key to food safety in the food industry since it monitors food throughout the production, transportation and distribution chains.

The advantages 

Traceability links the flow of goods and their associated information. This continuous exchange of knowledge provides an advantage for three critical participants in the food industry:

• The producing company: A traceability system helps to identify areas of opportunity and improvement in the supply chain. It increases productivity and product quality.
• Consumers: An effective traceability system increases confidence in a given brand because consumers can be sure that we produce products in a proper, reliable and safe way.
• Health authorities: Traceability systems help the public sector address any health risks a given product may pose to consumers.

At its core, traceability consists of keeping a detailed record of the actions, processes and places a food product passes through from its origin to its final destination.

Types of traceability 

1. Traceability or tracing: This method helps to identify a product’s origin and the stages it has passed through from its production to final delivery. It includes raw materials and any subsequent applied processes.
2. Tracking: This carefully follows the course of travel the product will take, helps predict and foresee any potential difficulties and provides the customer with the path his order will follow.

Benefits 

Implementing a traceability system is a simple process but it will bring many benefits, among them:

• Ensure quality and efficiency: We can use the data obtained from traceability as indicators to help improve processes and products.

• Reduce costs: By having specific data and information about each process we can reduce risk, correct errors immediately and avoid wasting resources.
• Optimize time: Traceability allows for the quick retrieval of information about the product and the continuous improvement of processes.
• Locate the source of a problem: Issues can be traced back to the component and source provider and also reflects the transparency of processes.
• Improve communication: Traceability enables clear communication channels and promotes transparency among all involved parties.

We guarantee the quality of the products

AgroAmerica guarantees the quality of its food products with a traceability system that ensures food safety from the soil to the store shelves where consumers buy their food. The vertically integrated supply chain is designed to control the entire process in accordance with international standards.