Bridging plant health policy implementation gaps

Published on October 15th, 2024

The United Nations and Food and Agriculture Organization goals and strategies for resilient plant health systems

It all starts with healthy plants. Life on land, especially agriculture and crop production, largely depends on the health of plants and planting material. Indeed, the world has various aspirational goals reflecting this. Of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030 (1), agriculture is central to No Poverty (Goal 1), Zero Hunger (Goal 2), Decent Work and Economic Growth (Goal 8), Climate Action (Goal 13), and Life on Land (Goal 15). The Four Betters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations also centre around agriculture, with the FAO aiming to use its Strategic Framework (2022–2031) to transform agrifood systems and make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind (2). Regional policy initiatives are also underway. In Africa, for instance, agriculture accounts for about 40% of the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP), 15% of exports, and 60–80% of employment (3). Accordingly, the African Union (AU) developed and adopted the Plant Health Strategy for Africa 2022–2036 to provide a strategic framework for food security.

These policies will not be fulfilled, nor their goals achieved, without healthy plants and a significantly lowered impact of crop pests and diseases. To this end, we need to bring together science, technology, and a critical mass of skilled plant health workers. The implementation of this triad is a plausible panacea for resilient plant health systems, bridging policy and practice.

The state of plant pests and crop protection science

Despite the grand strategies and policies, invasive plant pests and diseases continue to transcend borders, significantly impacting countries—especially those with weak phytosanitary systems. Once introduced, pests such as fall armyworm (4), Xylella fastidiosa (5), Liberibacter spp. (which causes citrus greening) (6), red palm weevil (7), and fruit flies (8) reduce crop production, negatively impact the environment, and hinder regional and international agricultural trade. Globally, plant pests account for the loss of an estimated 20–40% of crop production (9). In Africa, crop yield losses due to insects are estimated at 30–60% (10). Pest infestations contribute to increasing global hunger year after year. The number of people affected by hunger increased from 811 million in 2020 to 828 million in 2021 (11). The global economic cost of plant diseases is about US$220 billion annually (9), with invasive insects adding another US$70 billion (12).

However, major scientific advances have been made to minimize the impact of plant pests. Developments during the last century include chemical control (13), integrated pest management (14), biological control (15), sterile insect technology (16), and mating disruptions (17). Other sustainable crop protection strategies are also gaining more recognition and include induced resistance in crops—as described by Flors et al. in their Frontiers in Science lead article (18). During the 21st century, pest management has also been revolutionized through advances in biotechnology, including genetically modified organism (GMO) approaches in both pests and crops—generating plants that are more tolerant and resistant to certain pests. James reported that, in 2012, GMO crops covered 170.3 million hectares in 28 countries (19).

So, what is missing?

Amidst rapid global changes, such as climate change and the corresponding pest expansion and proliferation (20), a growing population, and increasing world hunger (21), there is an urgent need for resilient phytosanitary programs. Countries need programs to provide early detection of pests and to enable public and private organizations and farmers to prepare for, respond to, and recover from plant pests in the most effective and efficient manner. Backed by strong political will at global, regional, and national levels, such programs are arguably the most practical mechanisms for achieving agricultural transformation goals. It is through such programs that the triad of science, technology, and a critical mass of a skilled plant health workforce can make a resounding difference in plant health by creating tangible outcomes in pest management and phytosanitary proficiency.

Bridging the gap

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), an intergovernmental body of 185 contracting parties, has developed the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs). The ISPMs provide a necessary phytosanitary framework, from pest risk analyses to pest mitigations, including prevention, pest identification and diagnostics, containment, suppression, and even eradication.

Reflecting on the state of pest problems around the world, the IPPC community recognized the need to take ISPMs to another level, from adoption to implementation. In 2017, the Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC) was established to develop, monitor, and oversee an integrated program to support the implementation of the ISPMs and strengthen the phytosanitary capacity of contracting parties. The IC, with support from the IPPC Secretariat, developed and disseminated ISPM implementation tools such as e-learning courses on key topics, e.g., pest risk analysis, surveillance, phytosanitary inspection, and certification. After further reflection in late 2022/early 2023, the IPPC community, including representatives from the National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPO), Regional Plant Protection Organizations, and research organizations, started to develop a vision that takes the implementation of ISPMs to an entirely different level through the first-ever Global Phytosanitary Program (GPP). The GPP is designed to empower countries to detect plant pests and diseases of regulatory, economic, and environmental significance in an effective and timely manner. Using scientific evidence, digital tools, proactive planning, and systematic execution, the GPP will position NPPOs and their cooperators and stakeholders to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from plant pests and diseases.

Implementation strategy

It is impractical to launch such an intensive program simultaneously across all 185 countries and seven regions of the world. Therefore, the GPP is first being launched in Africa, owing to its amplified challenges and lack of consistent phytosanitary systems, through the Africa Phytosanitary Program (APP). However, starting the APP simultaneously across all 54 African countries still presents an insurmountable challenge. Accordingly, a phased approach has been adopted: the program will commence in 10 countries during an initial 2-year pilot phase, followed by a planned expansion to 10 additional countries every 2 years, with the aim to encompass all 54 countries over 7­–8 years. Eleven countries from five subregions were nominated and selected for the pilot phase: Egypt, Morocco​ (North Africa), Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone​ (West Africa), Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (Central Africa), Kenya, Uganda​ (East Africa), Zambia, and Zimbabwe ​(Southern Africa). Based on a criterion established by the IPPC Secretariat, each pilot country was tasked to identify five priority plant pests and/or diseases of regulatory, environmental, and economic significance for which survey, identification, or diagnostic protocols and digital apps were developed. Each pilot country has been provided with hands-on training and essential equipment such as tablets for proactive surveys of the selected pests.  

Central to the success of this experiment is coordination and collaboration between and among key stakeholders, including the AU–Inter-African Phytosanitary Council, the Near East Plant Protection Organization, and the NPPOs—the chief constituents of the program, whose workforces receive training and tools to enhance their phytosanitary skills in pest management. Using their existing infrastructure and the additional resources, NPPOs are responsible for implementing activities in their respective countries. Regional Economic Communities provide regional program coordination and logistical support for their member countries to ensure consistent and effective program delivery and interregional cooperation. The recently formed technical working group of subject matter experts from various research institutions that represent key scientific disciplines provides the technical rigor and support for the program. 

While the APP is still in the early stages of implementation, participating countries are expected to benefit from more resilient phytosanitary systems, improved agricultural productivity, food security and safety, environmental protection, agricultural trade, and economic development.

The implementation of APP in Africa and subsequently the rest of the world (through GPP) is designed to serve as an effective delivery mechanism for global, regional, and national strategies and to provide a practical framework that harnesses ongoing science-based solutions to proactively combat plant pests and diseases of regulatory, economic, and environmental significance, hence contributing to sustainable food security, human and environmental health, and economic growth around the world.

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