International Year of Plant Health: FAO focuses on Protecting Plants, Protecting Life

Within the framework of the Joint Franco-Russian professional seminar on the seed sector, held on the premises of the French Embassy in Moscow, Artur Shamilov, FAO agricultural officer with IPPC Secretariat, made a presentation via Skype devoted to the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) under the slogan PROTECTING PLANTS, PROTECTING LIFE.

Plants are the source of the air we breathe and most of the food we eat, yet we often do not think about keeping them healthy. This can have devastating results.

FAO estimates that up to 40% of food crops are lost due to plant pests and diseases annually. This leaves millions of people without enough food to eat and seriously damages agriculture – the primary source of income for rural poor communities.

“Plant health is increasingly under threat. Climate change, and human activities, have altered ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and creating new niches where pests can thrive. At the same time, international travel and trade has tripled in volume in the last decade and can quickly spread pests and diseases around the world causing great damage to native plants and the environment,” Shamilov explained the rationale behind the awareness campaign during IYPH.

“Protecting plants from pests and diseases is far more cost effective than dealing with full-blown plant health emergencies.

“Plant pests and diseases are often impossible to eradicate once they have established themselves and managing them is time consuming and expensive. Prevention is critical to avoiding the devastating impact of pests and diseases on agriculture, livelihoods and food security and many of us have a role to play,” FAO expert said.

What can we do to support #PlantHealth? “Everyday actions also include reducing your environmental footprint, protecting natural resources and spreading the word,” Shamilov noted.

• Be careful when taking plants and plant products with you when you travel as they may spread plant pests and diseases. Contact your national plant health authority beforehand to make sure that you are not infringing plant health laws.

• Be cautious when ordering plants and plant products online or through postal services as small packages can easily bypass regular phytosanitary controls.

• Spread the word about #PlantHealth on social media and in your community throughout 2020 and beyond.

• Take daily actions to reduce your environmental footprint and actively engage in initiatives to protect and manage natural resources.

In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution A/RES/73/252 declaring 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH). The presentation by Shamilov is the first in a series of event dedicated to the celebration of the IYPH in Russia. The year is a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.

24 January 2020, Moscow, Russian Federation