Calls to action.

 

Governments, policy makers and legislators need to prioritize plant health and protection, recognizing that it is fundamental to achieving the 2030 Agenda, particularly SDG2, Zero Hunger. Policies and legislation need to address and prevent pest and disease outbreaks and promote sustainable pests and pesticides management, while strengthening monitoring and reporting, and facilitating safe trade. They should ensure compliance with international plant health standards, invest in plant-health innovations, research and capacity development and empower national and regional plant protection organizations.

 The general public should be aware of the risks involved in bringing plants and plant products across borders that may harbor pests and diseases. We need to be careful when ordering plants and plant products through channels such as e-commerce with postal services that bypass regular phytosanitary controls. It is important to purchase from reputable companies that provide international phytosanitary certification for safe trade of plants and plant products. 

Media professionals can help communicate plant health information and key messages, including in local languages, to the broadest possible audience. 

Schoolchildren can learn that plants can get “sick”, what this means for food security, biodiversity, the environment, and our economy, and how they can warn their family about the risks of “hitchhiking pests” that often travel with plants and plant products. 

Farmers can prevent the spread of pests by using only certified pest-free seeds and seedlings; and regularly monitoring, controlling and reporting the occurrence of unusual pests on their farms. They should adopt environmentally friendly pest management practices – including those based on biological approaches that do not kill pollinators and use beneficial insects and organisms. 

Non-Government Organizations and cooperatives working directly with farmers can raise their awareness of best practices for preventing and managing pests; and provide them with practical support in implementing these practices. They can coordinate actions among different plant health stakeholders especially at the local level. 

Donors need to be regularly informed about opportunities for investing in new and existing plant health initiatives and technologies. 

The private sector should promote environmentally friendly products and practices and invest in phytosanitary research and development. 

The transportation and trade sectors should implement international standards, comply with existing phytosanitary legislation, contribute to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) standard setting process and be aware of innovative technologies such as electronic phytosanitary certificates (ePhytos).