How Can Banana Value Chains Become More Sustainable? @bananenbuendnis The CSCP joined the 3rd global conference of the World Banana Forum (WBF) with more than 300 participants on 8-9 Nov 2017 in its role as the ABNB’s network coordinator. The WBF conference is the biggest gathering of international experts in the banana sector, bringing together actors from every part of the global value chain. The CSCP reported on ABNB’s experience of how collaborative efforts towards sustainability can be fostered along the value chain in multi stakeholder settings. Even though the banana value chain is global by nature, the focus on the national market is crucial. Retailers, who have a key role in the value chain, are operating locally or regionally and consumers can be reached directly to raise their appreciation of the fruit. The importance of national fora was also supported by other panellists of the session “Compete and Collaborate” in which the CSCP presented the ABNB. The panel included a broad range of experts, including Andrew Biles, CEO, Chiquita Brands International (United States), Michelle Bhattacharyya, Coordinator, Global Living Wage Coalition – GLWC (United States), George Jaksch, Chair of the board, Biodiversity Partnership Mesoamerica – BPM (Costa Rica), Xavier Roussel, Vice President Marketing and Sustainability, Dole Food Company (United States), and Alexandra Kessler, Project Coordinator, Action Alliance for Sustainable Bananas – ABNB/CSCP (Germany). The steering committee of the WBF will discuss proposals made during the panel discussion and consider the outcomes in the future development of the WBF. The ABNB is looking forward to continuing the close collaboration with the WBF and also to serving as a role model for future national fora to accelerate the sustainable transformation of the banana sector. Please contact Alexandra Kessler for more information.