Plant Health Without Borders: Fostering International Collaboration

16/05/2024

In a world increasingly interconnected through trade, climate change and biodiversity, the health of our plants has never been more crucial. Recognizing this and following on the International Day of Plant Health that was celebrated on 12 May, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in collaboration with the Horizon Europe EUPHRESCO III project consortium, organized the event titled “Plant Health Without Borders” at the Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

Talking at the opening of the event, FAO’s Osama El-Lissy, Secretary of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), underscored the important role of partnerships and collaboration on a global scale for concerted action to protect plant health. He was joined by Claire Bury, Deputy Director-General of the EU Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), who stressed the indispensable role of international collaboration in addressing the pressing policy needs. They both referred to the role of 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. The European Union is an important contributor to the work of the IPPC.

Originally published by the FAO Liaison Office with the European Union and the Kingdom of Belgium