Looking ahead: IPPC Governing bodies discuss plans to advance global plant health and phytosanitary work

Rome, 31 October 2024. The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) Bureau and the Strategic Planning Group (SPG) met in Rome, Italy, in late October to review the initiatives and plans of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) to advance its work and that of the plant health community.

The CPM Bureau oversees the IPPC work programme, aligning it with the IPPC Strategic Framework and guides the strategic direction, financial and operational aspects of the CPM. While the SPG, a subsidiary of the CPM, offers strategic insights and recommendations for the IPPC community.

CPM Bureau discussions included setting the agenda for the next annual meeting of the CPM – IPPC’s main governing body – in 2025 (CPM-19), sustainable funding for IPPC initiatives such as the IPPC ePhyto Solution, and progress in implementing the Development Agenda Items (DAIs) of the IPPC Strategic Framework 2020-2030. Each DAI group will report to CPM-19 on mid-term reviews conducted on progress and requirements for advancing their work. The Bureau identified three potential themes for side sessions at CPM-19 – commodity standards, contingency planning in the context of global initiatives for emerging pests, and seaweed – with a science session on One Health. In addition to these, the SPG also recommended future side session themes, including the Africa Phytosanitary Programme (APP), Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Fusarium TR4), experiences of using Artificial Intelligence in plant health, systems approaches, and e-commerce.

Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and IPPC Secretariat Officer-in-Charge, attended the CPM Bureau meeting and acknowledged the IPPC community’s outstanding work. She emphasized the importance of IPPC’s work in promoting plant health in One Health and supported making “One Health” the theme for the 2025 International Day of Plant Health (IDPH).

DDG Bechdol stressed the need for sustained funding and urged to also increase collaboration with FAO permanent representatives on the IPPC ePhyto Solution. During the meeting, the CPM Bureau noted that the IPPC Secretariat is in the advanced stages of establishing a Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) for the IPPC ePhyto Solution. The Secretariat will invite Contracting Parties to contribute to the MDTF from 2025, for more sustainable funding for the initiative.

DDG Bechdol also commended the progress in implementing the Africa Phytosanitary Programme (APP), which has started positively and has been well received, but needs to become self-sustaining. The Bureau will revisit this issue at its December meeting. 

The Bureau also received updates from the IPPC Secretariat and CPM Focus Groups on Sea Containers, Global Phytosanitary Research Coordination, One Health, Climate Change and Phytosanitary Issues and Safe Provision of Food and Other Humanitarian Aid.

Strategic Planning Group meeting

SPG members with FAO and IPPC Secretariat staff ©FAO/Anita Tibasaaga

This year’s SPG discussions focused on enhancing plant health standards, resource mobilization and capacity development. The meeting used breakout sessions for active engagement among members and conducted an environmental scan of the IPPC, identifying strengths, challenges, weaknesses and opportunities. With strengths like the IPPC Strategic Framework 2020-2030; 185 contracting parties; dedicated members of the IPPC community, governing bodies and CPM committees and transformational initiatives like the IPPC ePhyto Solution. The SPG highlighted the IPPC’s ability to explore opportunities such as: using Artificial Intelligence to improve operational processes, introducing IPPC accreditation of diagnostic laboratories, and engaging young people on plant health issues. Key challenges included the need for additional financial and technical resources to support the IPPC’s work and to build on opportunities to increase visibility. Other discussion topics included: expediting the development of phytosanitary standards, themes for future International Day of Plant Health, the IPPC’s Pest Outbreak Alert and Response System (POARS), the next International Plant Health Conference and the next iteration of the IPPC Strategic Framework.

The SPG also listened to presentations from contracting parties on the relevance of the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs), antimicrobial resistance in plant health, the systems approach and the development of international standards and guidance. The SPG recommended that issues and opportunities for improving ISPMs be explored further to ensure that they meet the needs of contracting parties regardless of their developmental status.