The 2024 International Day of Plant Health is attracting shining light on the importance of leveraging innovation to protect plants by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), reports NaijaAgroNet.
FAO also said that focusing on technology importance at this time has become indispensable essential for sustaining life on earth.
This year’s observance on May 12 focuses on the many innovations that cut across areas where plant health is crucial – such as plant pest monitoring to protect agricultural production – and digital systems to ensure the safe international trade in plants.
“We have no option but to leverage innovation, technological advancements and tools to protect plants,” according to the FAO Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol.
“The unprecedented global challenges we face, such as the unrelenting climate crisis, demand innovative approaches and digital technologies to support countries with stronger pest surveillance and early warning systems,” she said.
The UN-designated International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) is a key legacy of the International Year of Plant Health 2020. Ever since then it has been raising global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development. This year’s celebrations at FAO includes a high-level event on 13 May.
Plant health should be prioritized given up to 40 percent of food crops are lost due to plant pests and diseases every year. This affects global food security and agriculture, the main source of income for many vulnerable rural communities. Climate change and weather extremes are also impacting plant health and altering ecosystems, while creating new niches for pests to thrive.
International travel and trade, which has tripled in volume in the last decade, has led to increased interconnectedness among countries and regions. This underlines the importance of ensuring that people, goods and commodities crossing borders do not carry pests and diseases affecting plants, animals and humans.
Paul Akukodi/Editor
This year’s observance on May 12 focuses on the many innovations that cut across areas where plant health is crucial – such as plant pest monitoring to protect agricultural production – and digital systems to ensure the safe international trade in plants.
“We have no option but to leverage innovation, technological advancements and tools to protect plants,” according to the FAO Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol.
“The unprecedented global challenges we face, such as the unrelenting climate crisis, demand innovative approaches and digital technologies to support countries with stronger pest surveillance and early warning systems,” she said.
The UN-designated International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) is a key legacy of the International Year of Plant Health 2020. Ever since then it has been raising global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development. This year’s celebrations at FAO includes a high-level event on 13 May.
Plant health should be prioritized given up to 40 percent of food crops are lost due to plant pests and diseases every year. This affects global food security and agriculture, the main source of income for many vulnerable rural communities. Climate change and weather extremes are also impacting plant health and altering ecosystems, while creating new niches for pests to thrive.
International travel and trade, which has tripled in volume in the last decade, has led to increased interconnectedness among countries and regions. This underlines the importance of ensuring that people, goods and commodities crossing borders do not carry pests and diseases affecting plants, animals and humans.
Paul Akukodi/Editor
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