Building Phytosanitary Excellence: Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) e-learning course and newly certified PCE facilitators strengthen global plant health

Plant health is critical to global food security, enabling safe trade that drives strong economies. Achieving this depends on robust phytosanitary systems that protect crops and meet international plant health standards. This is where Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) plays a transformative role. PCEs empower national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) with a globally recognized process to assess their strengths, identify challenges, and develop a national capacity development strategy with a clear roadmap for improvement, including activities and estimated costs, therefore facilitating resource mobilization.

New PCE e-learning course: Making the process accessible and actionable

In response to the need for clearer, practical tools to implement PCEs, the IPPC Secretariat is proud to announce the launch of a new IPPC e-learning course Conducting a Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation, developed in collaboration with the FAO e-learning Academy. This course provides a step-by-step guide to the PCE process in an engaging and interactive format, featuring real-world case studies, interactive exercises, and expert insights that bring the PCE process to life. Like all IPPC e-learning courses, this course is free, can be taken as many times as required, is downloadable and so can be accessed offline. This IPPC e-learning course is available in English and will soon be available also in French.

Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluations are not just a checklist; they play a crucial role in defining a tangible and concrete roadmap for countries to strengthen their national phytosanitary systems. Countries that have conducted PCEs have discovered a range of opportunities for improvement, including optimizing pest surveillance, strengthening national regulatory frameworks, and enhancing market access for agricultural products, among many others. Sarah Brunel, Implementation and Facilitation Unit Lead at the IPPC Secretariat, emphasized the significance of this initiative: "This e-learning course is a direct investment in equipping NPPOs with the knowledge to conduct thorough evaluations and implement meaningful reforms. And the impact goes beyond national borders—it contributes to global food security, trade facilitation, and sustainable agricultural development, aligning with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Zero Hunger, Quality Education and Partnerships for the Goals."

A New Hub for Plant Health Learning: Welcome to the IPPC Plant Health Campus

The PCE e-learning course is part of a broader effort to make high-quality phytosanitary training accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world. It follows two, recently published, IPPC e-learning courses on Working with a national plant protection organization and National plant protection organization learning pathways, which are in addition to the already existing IPPC e-learning courses. The IPPC Secretariat is also in the process of launching the IPPC Plant Health Campus, an online learning platform offering a suite of new e-learning courses and capacity development materials designed to strengthen plant health expertise globally. Whether you are a PCE facilitator, a NPPO official, a researcher, or an industry professional, the IPPC Plant Health Campus will be your gateway to the latest knowledge and best practices in plant health management. Stay tuned for more news and announcements!

A Key Milestone in a Thriving PCE Programme

This new IPPC e-learning course is just one of many activities within the successful PCE programme, made possible through the Strengthening Food Control and Phytosanitary Capacities and Governance project, funded by the European Union. Thanks to this initiative, eleven PCEs have been conducted in COMESA countries, helping nations build stronger phytosanitary systems within the region. A significant milestone has been the training and certification of a new group of PCE facilitators—experts ready to support NPPOs and national stakeholder networks in navigating the PCE process and driving impactful improvements.

Meet the New Generation of PCE Facilitators

Over the past two years, these PCE facilitators have undertaken rigorous training and led the implementation of a PCE within countries. They bring a wealth of experience in plant health and phytosanitary frameworks and are eager to apply their expertise in supporting NPPOs to conduct future PCEs:

	Camilo Beltrán Montoya Agricultural Officer, IPPC Secretariat, leading PCE and POARS initiatives. He has facilitated PCEs Cambodia, Kenya and Seychelles and contributed to projects on Fusarium TR4 and Fall Armyworm.
	Justina Chivanga Senior Plant Health Inspector, NPPO of Zambia, and Deputy Head of the Phytosanitary Inspections Unit. Justina has facilitated PCEs for Zambia and Zimbabwe, specializing in phytosanitary policy and risk-based inspections.
	Lucien Kouamé Konan Consultant & Lecturer, NANGUI ABROGOUA University, with 35+ years in phytosanitary systems. Former Head of Côte d’Ivoire’s NPPO and CPM Chair (2020-2023), he has contributed to IPPC and AU-IAPSC capacity-building efforts and facilitated Djibouti’s first PCE.
	Descartes Larios Koumba Mouendou Implementation Facilitation Officer, IPPC Secretariat, coordinating the Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC) and the Africa Phytosanitary Programme. He led a regional phytosanitary project in Central Africa and facilitated in Senegal’s PCE.
	Nhamo Mudada Director, Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services, Zimbabwe, overseeing national agricultural programs and food security initiatives. Previously led Zimbabwe’s NPPO and facilitated PCEs for Eswatini and Zimbabwe.
	Brenda Mweemba Deputy Head, Phytosanitary Inspections Unit, NPPO of Zambia, with 18+ years in plant health. Brenda specializes in pest risk analysis, market access, and regulatory compliance and facilitated the PCE in Zambia.
	Dr. Isaac Macharia Director, Phytosanitary and Biosecurity, KEPHIS, with 22+ years in pest surveillance, risk analysis, and policy. He has led ISO-accredited lab development, regional SPS negotiations, and phytosanitary capacity building across Africa. Isaac facilitated the PCE in Kenya.
	Barbara Peterson Implementation Facilitation Specialist, IPPC Secretariat, leading IPPC’s e-commerce and capacity-building initiatives. She has more than 20 years experience working with the NPPO of Canada on pest risk management and market access, and facilitated the PCE in Malawi.

In addition to these eight new PCE facilitators, two additional PCE facilitators will be certified within the upcoming months.

Jan Hendrik Venter, Director of Plant Health, South Africa NPPO and one of the Chairs of the PCE Board that certified the new facilitators, underscored their vital role: "These newly trained facilitators represent a crucial step forward in the IPPC Secretariat’s goal of making PCEs accessible and impactful for all. With their guidance, countries can conduct PCEs with confidence and take actionable steps toward stronger plant health systems."

With the launch of this IPPC e-learning course on Conducting a Phytosanitary Evaluation, the IPPC reaffirms its commitment to a safer, more resilient global phytosanitary environment. Whether you are an NPPO official, policymaker, or plant health enthusiast, we encourage you to click here to learn more and enroll in the IPPC e-learning course today.

For more information:

• Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE)