Taiwan has been using advanced technology to help Central American companies address a new strain of Panama disease, which affects banana plants. International Cooperation and Development Fund deputy secretary-general Stephen Lee told a news briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei that the organization has contributed to a project involving the National Space Organization, the Taiwan Banana Research Institute and the Regional International Organization for Agricultural Health aimed at preventing the spread of Panama disease tropical race 4 (TR4), which is caused by a fungus, in Central America.
“Since last year, we have been working with the National Space Organization to build a monitoring and alarm system for Panama disease using satellite technology,” Lee said, adding that nine satellite observation points have been installed in Guatemala, Honduras and Belize.
Source: taipeitimes.com