Fusarium wilt disease of banana, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is the most destructive banana disease and is considered to be among the 10 most serious diseases in the history of agriculture. Foc TR4 is present in South America, having been detected in June 2019 in two banana farms in La Guajira, Colombia. Subsequently, new outbreaks were detected in 2021 in Sullana, Peru, and in Rio Negro, Magdalena, Colombia. 

The regional significance of this threat has been recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Foc TR4 pest management is particularly difficult, as, once the disease is present, it cannot be completely eradicated using methods and fungicides that are currently available. The fungus can remain in the soil for decades and can spread easily across borders through the movement of people and goods. It is currently considered a quarantine pest with a restricted area of distribution, which is causing considerable regional concern.

The best way to combat the disease is therefore to avoid its spread. Measures to prevent the entry of Foc TR4 require a regional approach and early detection. These measures must be taken by national official surveillance systems and also at the regional level.

In Andean Community countries, banana and plantain production is an important activity. Colombia and Ecuador are two of the world's largest exporters of bananas. Peru has managed to position itself in international markets with its organic and fair-trade production, and Bolivia mainly supplies the Southern Cone countries. Moreover, the sector is crucial in terms of food security and employment, and is considered to be a fundamental element of indigenous and Afrodescendent culture.

Thus, the entry of Foc TR4 is a threat of regional significance that can affect both the exports and production of Andean countries, limiting their access to foreign markets. The impact on trade across the Andean Community in 2020 is valued at USD 4.8 million, primarily affecting Ecuador, Colombia and, to a lesser extent, Peru and Bolivia.

In response to this phytosanitary emergency, the member countries of the Andean Community, following a high-level meeting of the Technical Committee on Agricultural Health (COTASA) - Plant Health (expanded to include State Ministers), expressed their concern over the Foc TR4 outbreak in 2019. The countries requested the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (SGCAN) to carry out a project to provide technical guidelines for the development of a monitoring centre, with the aim of building member countries' capacity to address and respond to pest outbreaks and incursions. The Phytosanitary Intelligence Centre is being proposed in response to that request, as a tool that will allow products to be created to evaluate, monitor and determine the geographical location of different phytosanitary events. By taking into account health information available from intelligence systems, it will serve as an additional tool to reduce the risks of pests and diseases being introduced into countries.