Report on VGE UV-C Technology’s Contribution to Sustainable Banana Cultivation

This report details the application and impact of VGE’s UV-C water disinfection technology in the global banana industry, with a significant focus on its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The technology presents a sustainable alternative to chemical treatments, addressing critical agricultural, environmental, and economic challenges.

The Challenge: Disease Threats to Global Food Security (SDG 2)

Global banana production, a cornerstone of food security and economic stability for millions, faces severe threats from soil- and water-borne diseases. The genetic uniformity of the dominant Cavendish banana variety exacerbates its vulnerability.

Fusarium (TR4)

Fusarium TR4 is a highly resilient fungus that spreads through contaminated soil, water, and equipment. Its impact is devastating:

• Once a plantation is infected, the soil can remain contaminated for up to 30 years, rendering it unusable for future banana cultivation.
• This leads to massive land destruction and significant economic losses, directly threatening SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by reducing the availability of a staple food crop and SDG 15 (Life on Land) by causing long-term soil degradation.

Moko Disease

Caused by the Ralstonia bacterium, Moko disease is equally perilous:

• It spreads rapidly through water and infected plant material, causing wilting and plant death.
• The unchecked spread of Moko and TR4 could severely diminish global banana supplies, jeopardizing the livelihoods dependent on this crop and undermining SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

A Technological Solution for Sustainable Agriculture

VGE has developed UV-C water treatment systems, such as the VGE Pro HortiGuard, to combat these pathogens effectively. The system utilizes low-pressure UV-C lamps to disinfect irrigation water, eradicating harmful microorganisms without the use of chemicals. This solution has been successfully deployed on banana plantations in Latin America and Southeast Asia.

Advancing Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)

The adoption of UV-C technology is a significant step towards more sustainable agricultural practices. Key benefits include:

1. Elimination of Chemical Inputs: The system provides a non-chemical method for water disinfection, reducing reliance on traditional pesticides to which pathogens are developing resistance. This directly supports the targets of SDG 12.
2. Prevention of Environmental Contamination: By avoiding chemical treatments, the technology helps protect local ecosystems and water sources from harmful runoff, contributing to SDG 15 (Life on Land).
3. Validation and Reliability: The VGE Pro HortiGuard solution has been extensively tested and validated by Wageningen University & Research, confirming its efficacy and reliability for global agricultural use.

Promoting Clean Water and Sustainable Water Management (SDG 6)

Water management is a critical component of sustainable agriculture. A typical 100-hectare banana plantation can consume approximately 5,000 m³ of water daily, totaling over 1.14 million cubic meters annually.

VGE’s technology makes a direct contribution to SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) by enabling:

• Safe Reuse of Surface Water: By effectively disinfecting surface water, the system allows growers to reuse this resource for irrigation instead of extracting finite groundwater.
• Reduced Groundwater Depletion: This practice significantly lessens the strain on local aquifers, preventing the need for expensive and unsustainable water wells.
• Enhanced Water Security: It promotes a circular approach to water use in agriculture, ensuring a more resilient and sustainable water supply for crop production.

Implementation and Operational Excellence

VGE ensures successful implementation and long-term performance through a comprehensive service model.

System Design and Support

• Customization: Systems are custom-calculated in collaboration with clients to ensure reliable and effective solutions tailored to specific plantation needs.
• Quality Assurance: All products undergo rigorous internal testing before shipment to guarantee quality and performance.
• Maintenance Efficiency: The systems are designed for easy maintenance, allowing for service procedures, such as lamp replacement, without requiring a full system shutdown.
• Global and Local Collaboration: VGE works with local partners for installation and service while utilizing remote monitoring to oversee system performance, ensuring continuous operational support.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The article highlights the threat that diseases like Fusarium (TR4) and Moko pose to global banana production. It states that if these diseases are not controlled, they “could severely reduce global banana production, affecting millions of people who depend on this crop.” By offering a solution to protect banana crops, the article directly addresses the goal of ensuring food security.
2. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • The core technology discussed is a UV-C water treatment system. The article focuses on treating irrigation water to prevent the spread of disease, enabling the reuse of surface water, and reducing the dependency on groundwater wells. This directly relates to improving water quality and ensuring the sustainable management of water resources.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The destruction of banana plantations by disease causes “enormous damage,” threatening the livelihoods of growers and the broader banana industry, which is a significant economic driver in countries like Ecuador. The solution helps protect this industry, thereby supporting economic stability and growth.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • The article presents an innovative technological solution (UV-C systems) applied to the agricultural industry. It describes the VGE Pro HortiGuard as a “reliable solution” that is validated, customized, and implemented through collaboration with local partners, which contributes to building resilient infrastructure and promoting sustainable industrialization.
5. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • A key benefit of the UV-C system is that it functions “without using pesticides or chemicals.” This provides an alternative to “traditional chemical treatments,” promoting the environmentally sound management of chemicals and reducing pollution, which is a central theme of SDG 12. It also promotes the efficient use of water resources.
6. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The article notes that Fusarium TR4 can contaminate soil for up to 30 years, rendering it unusable for banana cultivation. By preventing the spread of this fungus, the technology helps protect agricultural land from long-term degradation. Reducing reliance on chemical pesticides also helps protect terrestrial ecosystems from chemical pollution.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)
   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
     • The UV-C system is a resilient agricultural practice that protects banana crops from diseases, securing production. It also improves land quality by preventing long-term soil contamination from Fusarium TR4.
2. Under SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
     • The technology disinfects contaminated water without using chemicals, directly contributing to improved water quality for agricultural use.
   • Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater.
     • The article explicitly states that the system allows growers to “reuse surface water” and “reduce the need for expensive, unsustainable water wells,” directly addressing water-use efficiency and sustainable withdrawals.
3. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and processes.
     • The UV-C system is described as a clean and environmentally sound technology that increases water-use efficiency in the agricultural industry.
4. Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)
   • Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
     • The article emphasizes that the solution allows for “treating irrigation water with UV-C… without using pesticides or chemicals,” which is a direct contribution to this target.
5. Under SDG 15 (Life on Land)
   • Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil… and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.
     • The technology prevents the spread of Fusarium TR4, a fungus that can make soil “contaminated for up to 30 years,” thus preventing the degradation of agricultural land.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Volume of water reused/saved (Indicator for Target 6.4)
   • The article provides a quantifiable example: “instead of pumping up 1.14 million m3 of groundwater per 100-hectare banana plantation, you can reuse the surface water.” This figure can be used as a direct indicator of increased water-use efficiency.
2. Reduction in chemical pesticide use (Indicator for Target 12.4)
   • The article states the system is an alternative to “traditional chemical treatments” and works “without using pesticides or chemicals.” Progress can be measured by the reduction in the volume of chemical pesticides applied per hectare on plantations using this technology.
3. Area of land protected from degradation (Indicator for Target 15.3)
   • The article mentions a “typical 100-hectare banana plantation.” The number of hectares where the system is installed can serve as an indicator for the area of agricultural land protected from long-term contamination by diseases like Fusarium TR4.
4. Reduction in crop loss (Indicator for Target 2.4)
   • The article states that diseases cause “massive areas are destroyed” and the solution helps “protect their crops.” An implied indicator is the percentage reduction in crop loss or the increase in yield on plantations that have adopted the UV-C water treatment system compared to those that have not.
5. Adoption rate of clean technology (Indicator for Target 9.4)
   • The article mentions that the system is “being used successfully worldwide” with installations in Southeast Asia and Latin America. The number of plantations or agricultural units adopting this technology is a clear indicator of the uptake of clean and sustainable technologies in the industry.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: freshplaza.com