Summary
This report suggests that voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can help banana producers build resilience against industry challenges, whilst suggesting that the costs of sustainable growing practices should be shared across industry actors to ensure farmers do not bear the burden of price fluctuations and increased production costs. The report argues that governments, private sector actors, and VSSs must work together to support banana producers to adopt more sustainable practices and reward them fairly for their efforts. Recommendations include defining minimum prices and premiums for compliant farmers, sharing responsibility for the costs of sustainable growing practices, and providing up-to-date information to farmers about market prices in different countries.