SPOTLIGHT: Empowering plant health: guidelines for field inspection

Posted on Fri, 02 Feb 2024, 13:34

Members of the Expert Working Group on Field Inspection, representatives of host country, IPPC Secretariat, Standards Committee (SC) and Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC)

For decades, plant pests have been persistent adversaries of agriculture worldwide, posing threats to plant …

SPOTLIGHT: IPPC e-learning courses promote excellence in international phytosanitary work

Posted on Wed, 31 Jan 2024, 14:45

January 24 marked the United Nations Day of Education, a global observance of the essential role of education in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In its work of protecting plant resources from pests, the International Plant Protection Convention …

SPOTLIGHT: How IPPC-led phytosanitary capacity evaluation strengthens countries’ ability to handle plant pests

Posted on Fri, 22 Dec 2023, 12:50

For centuries, plant pests have been among the biggest threats to sustainable crop production, agricultural productivity, food security and livelihoods of millions of people. Today, the pest problem is just as devastating, or even worse, thanks in part to global …

SPOTLIGHT: Q&A with John Hedley

Posted on Fri, 22 Dec 2023, 12:00

Back in 1989, John Hedley was one of the pioneers who developed the first International Standard for Phytosanitary Measure (ISPM). A former Chair of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), John’s contribution to the IPPC spans decades. His dedication since …

Spotlight: Francisco Gutierrez from the Belize Agricultural Health Authority speaks about the importance of IPPC’s guides and training materials

Posted on Thu, 19 Oct 2023, 11:22

As a spotlight feature for this month, we speak to Francisco Gutierrez, Technical Director of the Plant Health Department of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation facilitator and Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC) lead for the IC …

SPOTLIGHT: Building resilience against Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4) in Africa

Posted on Mon, 16 Oct 2023, 08:17

In recent years, the global plant health community has been on high alert due to the rapid spread of plant pests and diseases like Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4) that threaten vital crops. Fusarium TR4 can cause banana crop losses …

SPOTLIGHT: Prevent. Protect. Sustain. How the IPPC is protecting agriculture and trade by reducing the risk of pest spread through wood packaging material

Posted on Thu, 14 Sep 2023, 13:42

The volume of international trade today is roughly 45 times the level recorded in 1950 and is projected to grow by 1.7 percent in 2023 before picking up to 3.2 percent in 2024. As global trade grows in volume, geographic …

Spotlight: Interview with Sarah Brunel on a food safety/plant health project

Posted on Thu, 10 Aug 2023, 07:30

We had a conversation with Sarah Brunel, Implementation and Facilitation Unit Lead at the IPPC Secretariat, who is working on an FAO project that has two components: promoting food safety and plant health. While most of our questions focused on …

SPOTLIGHT: Engagement and partnerships could help reduce pest risk associated with sea containers and their cargoes

Posted on Mon, 17 Jul 2023, 01:00

Brisbane, 17 July 2023. In a highly globalized world, safe and uninterrupted trade is paramount for food security and economic growth. Sea containers play an important role in global trade because they serve as the thread connecting producers to consumers, …

SPOTLIGHT: Better safe than sorry: Nicaragua’s emergency plant protection efforts to curb Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4) of banana

Posted on Fri, 30 Jun 2023, 12:57

Detecting, preventing and responding to risks are vital aspects for managing the effects of harmful plant pests and diseases. Conversely, limited attention to phytosanitary issues could weaken entire food production systems and international trade, lead to food shortages and could …

SPOTLIGHT: IPPC e-learning courses

Posted on Fri, 27 Jan 2023, 08:38

With a sea of training courses available online, it can be daunting to find one that specifically suits the needs of plant health professionals. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat and partners developed e-learning courses designed to enhance the …

Spotlights on Monitoring and Evaluation and Benefits of Implementing the IPPC through Execution IRSS Project

Posted on Thu, 11 May 2017, 09:31

Photograph: Copyright: 2015 Cédric Rajadel - Ryncophorus ferrugineus

The Implementation Review and Support System (IRSS) is a European Union (EU) funded project that has undertaken a number of activities to review contracting parties implementation challenges and successes since its inception …