Plant Health Governing Body Convenes to Address Pest and Disease Threats

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Today, the FAO Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) have convened to deliberate on further measures aimed at curbing the spread of plant pests and diseases, which pose significant risks to agriculture, livelihoods, and ecosystems.

In his opening address to the 18th Session of the Commission, QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), emphasized the far-reaching consequences of unchecked pest and disease outbreaks on global food supply and trade.

The CPM serves as the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), meeting annually to assess the global state of plant health and review progress towards achieving the Convention’s objectives. Notably, in 2023, IPPC welcomed the Federal Republic of Somalia as its 185th contracting party.

Addressing the impact of climate change on plant pests, QU underscored the importance of international cooperation in early detection, rapid response, and coordinated control efforts. He cited the case of Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4), a fungus causing extensive damage to banana crops, as an example of the challenges posed by climate-induced changes in pest distribution and intensity.

The IPPC, in collaboration with FAO, is actively assisting banana-producing countries in combating TR4 through awareness-raising efforts and the development of prevention and management strategies.

At the meeting, the CPM will discuss various topics, including the integration of IPPC within the One Health approach, adoption of amendments to phytosanitary standards, and endorsement of the Africa Phytosanitary Programme. Additionally, the success of the IPPC ePhyto Solution in facilitating digital phytosanitary certification has expedited safe trade, with over five million ePhyto certificates exchanged by 88 active user countries.

While global attention often focuses on food safety and animal health standards, QU emphasized the critical role of plant health standards as the foundation for safeguarding against the impact of plant pests and diseases. He described these standards as the “guardrails” essential for ensuring global food security and environmental sustainability.