Did you know that food and other humanitarian aid can carry plant pests?

Rome 13 June 2022. All food and other humanitarian donations are more than welcome, especially in emergencies and to vulnerable people. Saving lives is the utmost importance for all. However, it is known that disasters impact in agriculture threatens all three pillars of sustainable development: social, environmental, and economic.

Countries have faced challenges to manage pest risk effectively during an emergency, for example, receiving aid from other countries when natural disasters happen. It has been recognized that the provision of aid supplies could bring pests, which causes long-term impacts on the economy, environment and communities.

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) adopted a global recommendation to tackle pests in food aid to strengthen long-term food security; to combat humanitarian crisis and to further support the objectives of the IPPC Strategic Framework 2020-2030. The IPPC and its Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) agreed to establish a Focus Group on Safe Provision of Food and Other Humanitarian Aid. The main objectives are to ensure international co-operation to prevent the global spread of plant pests and propose solutions for development of a global standard and other supplementary tools, outlining the key principles, requirements and other aspects that it should contain.

A call for experts is has been extended and the NEW DEADLINE IS 08 JULY 2022!. More information is available here.

The members of this new Focus Group should have experience and expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• procurement and the supply of humanitarian aid (aid agency and government)
• plant health policy and risk management regulation
• plant health emergency response/management
• clearance of imported goods under emergency or disaster constraints

The Focus Group will meet for the first time on 20-21 July 2022 (12:00-14:00, Rome time) in virtual mode. All NPPOs and RPPOs are strongly encouraged to nominate experts on this critical and important topic. Make a difference and be part of this!

For further information, please contact: [email protected]

See also the CPM Focus Group webpage: https://www.ippc.int/en/core-activities/governance/cpm/cpm-focus-group-reports/cpm-focus-group-on-safe-provision-of-food-and-other-humanitarian-aid/