Guayaquil, Ecuador, Oct 30 (EFE).– With over $3.5 billion in exports last year, Ecuador’s banana industry is a key pillar of the country’s economy. It has now readied a plan called “Safe Farms” to defend itself against the crime wave gripping Ecuador, which poses a severe risk to its banana production.
The Safe Farms Protocol: A Strategy Against Crime
To counter this threat, the Ecuadorian Banana and Plantain Cluster, the world’s top exporter of bananas, plans to implement “Safe Farms.” The security protocol is inspired by Colombia’s approach to enhancing security on its coffee and banana plantations.
Numerous banana farms in Ecuador are located in rural areas where some criminal gangs have established a presence. Like other major sectors, Ecuador’s banana industry has bolstered its security in the face of extortion, kidnappings, murders, and even drug contamination of exports.
Securing the Export Chain for European Markets
Due to Ecuador’s high export volume to the European Union (EU)—the primary market for Ecuadorian bananas, accounting for 30% of its overseas shipments—this situation has severely impacted exporters. They stress the need for authorities and entities involved in transport and distribution to strengthen security across the entire supply chain to the final destination.
Among the measures they are demanding are public policies mandating 100% scanning of export containers and protocols to standardize security at every link in the export chain.
They also highlight the need for purchasing countries in the EU to share responsibility, treating this as a public health crisis and ensuring the secure supply of a product essential to Europe’s food security.
Three-Principle Approach to Security
The “Safe Farms” protocol by the Banana Cluster was presented last week in Guayaquil, Ecuador, by former Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano during the 21st edition of “Banana Time”, the largest international convention for the banana industry, organized by the Association of Ecuadorian Banana Exporters (AEBE).
This proposal is built on three principles: proactive action within farms to deter threats, coordination among the private sector, industry groups, and state authorities, and a sustained medium- to long-term effort to strengthen institutional capacities.
Key Action Areas and Information Network
Based on a detailed analysis, the “Safe Farms” initiative includes three main action areas, including security training for each farm and the development of a solidarity and information network involving workers and transporters to generate key information for security-related decision-making.
The protocol also calls for an information system allowing producers to share risk and reliability profiles of workers and suppliers. This will help companies avoid hiring individuals previously dismissed for security-related issues.
Additionally, the plan will establish a communication network and biometric security systems for access to facilities. There will also be physical barriers around production spaces and restricted areas such as container loading and unloading zones.
Strategic Integrated Security Center (Ciepris)
The core of “Safe Farms” will be the Strategic Integrated Security Prevention and Response Center (Ciepris). The center will maintain data on each farm, analyze incoming information, and develop preventive measures and support networks. It will also integrate with police and armed forces.
Molano told EFE that this strategy is intended for medium-term implementation, with full operation expected within about five years, aiming to improve security conditions across the sector.
Collaboration and Long-Term Goals
The former Colombian defense minister emphasized the importance of coordination. “Without coordination, individual efforts are difficult,” Molano remarked, stressing the inclusion of workers, suppliers, transporters, and state security forces in this collective effort.
“One cannot restore a country’s security without military and police forces… It’s impossible to restore security with only private security and individual efforts,” he added. Molano said Ecuador’s situation won’t be resolved quickly, as it took Colombia around 20 years to overcome the high levels of violence caused by guerrilla groups. EFE
Agencia EFE is supported by AEBE in producing this content.