BREAKING NEWS: Major advancement in Plant Health Education with the launch of the IPPC Plant Health Campus

Rome, Italy – 19 March 2025 – A significant milestone in global plant health capacity development was achieved with the launch of the IPPC Plant Health Campus, during the 19th Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-19). Held at FAO headquarters on 17 March 2025, the event brought together CPM members and FAO colleagues, experts and representatives from regional and national plant protection organizations (RPPOs and NPPOs) to celebrate this groundbreaking initiative.

Developed under the "Strengthening Food Control and Phytosanitary Capacities and Governance" project, with generous funding from the European Union, the IPPC Plant Health Campus underscores how investing in plant health education and capacity development drives progress towards achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals. This initiative reinforces the IPPC Community’s commitment to building a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable world.

A Global Hub for Plant Health Education

The IPPC Plant Health Campus, developed through close collaboration between the IPPC Secretariat and the FAO e-learning Academy, is a free, multilingual platform offering certified e-learning courses, guides, and capacity-development tools that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Designed as a comprehensive learning hub, it supports NPPO staff, phytosanitary capacity evaluation facilitators, government agencies, and plant health stakeholders in acquiring the expertise needed to safeguard agriculture and trade.

As FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol highlighted during her opening remarks, “This platform represents a major step forward in strengthening global phytosanitary systems. Investing in plant health is investing in food security, safe trade, and biodiversity.”

Deputy Director-General Maurizio Martina emphasized how: “Through strong collaboration, we are offering free, science-based, certified and multilingual self-paced elearning courses, as a global public good, for phytosanitary professionals worldwide. The IPPC Plant Health Campus, hosted by the FAO elearning Academy, represents a collective commitment to strengthening global plant health.”

His Excellency Martin Selmayr, Ambassador of the European Union, reaffirmed the EU’s dedication to plant health and this project specifically, stating, “The European Union believes in rules-based international trade, the value of safe plants for the food we eat and the oxygen we breathe, and high standards for plant health. This is why the EU is an active member of the International Plant Protection Convention. We are delighted to support financially, as key donor, the IPPC Plant Health Campus. It is a valuable e-learning platform, offering free, high-quality courses and capacity-building tools for plant health professionals worldwide.”

Following the official launch, attendees had the opportunity to explore the platform’s features and engage in discussions about its potential impact on global plant protection efforts.

Images from the IPPC Plant Health Campus launch event including interventions by FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol and His Excellency Martin Selmayr, Ambassador of the European Union © FAO /Cristiano Minichiello

Customized learning

The IPPC Plant Health Campus is designed to address the specific needs of NPPOs by providing targeted resources to support their work. One example is the recently published onboarding e-learning course, Working with a National Plant Protection Organization, which introduces NPPO functions, responsibilities, and best practices - helping professionals and stakeholders engage effectively with plant health authorities. One of the key features of the IPPC Plant Health Campus is the NPPO Learning Pathways tool, an interactive guide that helps plant protection professionals in planning their training journeys. This ensures that learners can follow clear and customized training roadmaps to enhance their expertise in areas such as: NPPO management, pest risk analysis, market access, inspection, import and export requirements, and emergency response.

Click on the image above to explore the IPPC Plant Health Campus

In addition to its existing IPPC e-learning courses, the IPPC Plant Health Campus now offers several new learning opportunities. One of the latest e-learning course additions, Conducting a Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation, provides guidance on assessing and strengthening national phytosanitary systems. In the coming weeks and months, several new IPPC e-learning courses will be introduced, further expanding the platform’s offerings. These courses offer flexibility, allowing NPPOs to choose between self-directed learning, integration into national training programs, or incorporation into hybrid learning approaches to enhance knowledge retention and practical application.

Global access to expand reach and accessibility

With both online and offline access, the platform ensures that professionals in even the most remote locations can benefit from essential training, overcoming connectivity challenges that often hinder capacity-building efforts. The IPPC certification system adds further value, allowing learners to earn digital badges upon course completion. These verifiable and shareable credentials can be shared on social media and added to professional resumes, reinforcing expertise in phytosanitary protection.

Currently available in English, the IPPC Plant Health Campus will be launched in French later in 2025. Additional FAO languages will be introduced as funding allows, expanding the platform’s reach and accessibility.

Strengthening Global Phytosanitary Capacity

The IPPC Plant Health Campus is more than just a training platform—it’s a catalyst for harmonizing phytosanitary measures worldwide. By offering science-based, standardized training, it helps to equip professionals with the skills needed to protect agriculture, facilitate safe trade, and combat plant pests and diseases.

The impact of this initiative is already being felt on the ground. Saliou Niassy, Coordinator of the African Union Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (AU-IAPSC), shared how the platform has directly benefited plant health professionals: “There is a disparity in phytosanitary capacity among African countries, which has prevented their performance in agricultural productivity and market access and trade. This has been a major concern for the AU-IAPSC; however, over the past two years, we have conducted eleven Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluations (PCEs) in COMESA countries and trained ten new PCE facilitators. All of these facilitators have completed the IPPC e-learning courses and have already seen their value. The structured training has enabled them to conduct assessments more confidently, provide more targeted recommendations, and help countries develop stronger national phytosanitary capacity development strategies. We can confidently conclude that investing in capacity development positively impacts the African countries’ agricultural sector and economic growth”.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Phytosanitary Learning

The launch of the IPPC Plant Health Campus marks just the beginning of a larger effort to advance plant health education. New e-learning courses, videos, and interactive tools are already in development, with continuous expansion planned in the months ahead. This initiative is set to play a crucial role in addressing future and emerging phytosanitary challenges, ensuring that professionals worldwide have access to best-in-class knowledge and training.

Explore the IPPC Plant Health Campus now!