University of Florence seminar on Tropical Plant Pathology for Master of Science degree students.

26 November 2019, Florence – Prof Laura Mugnai and Prof Antonio Belcari of the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) of the University of Florence, Italy, hosted a session on the IPPC community, structure and activities as well as International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) 2020 activities in the Aula Magna of its 1791 building. Mr Arop Deng, Integration and Support Team Lead, and Mr Riccardo Mazzucchelli, Public Information Specialist, (IPPC Secretariat) delivered two separate presentations, engaging the students in an interesting Q&A session that followed. The students from the Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management for Tropical Rural Development benefittedIl from the video on the simulation for prevention of Fusarium oxyporum wilt TR4 in Nicaragua as well as from advocacy materials that included IPPC factsheets and brochure with distributed to the participants.

The discussion with the students who attended the session focused on the phytosanitary challenges in developing countries, especially in terms of participation to the IPPC Standard Setting Process and activities to improve the phytosanitary capacity through Implementation and Capacity Development initiatives. Some students inquired about the potential linkages between the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, with a clear focus on the relations of biodiversity and climate change with ISPMs.

Prof Mugnai and Prof Belcari demonstrated great interest and appreciation for the delivered presentations, expressing their interest to repeat the positive experience during the coming academic year as well as maintaining an open dialogue for additional forms of collaborations. Prof Belcari also invited Mr Deng and Mr Mazzucchelli to visit the impressive Entomology Laboratory he coordinates.