12 May – International Plant Health Day
The movement of people and plants across borders and continents in the globalized economy, coupled with the rapidly changing climate, increases the risk of plant pest and disease outbreaks worldwide. Over the years, the direct impacts of plant pests and diseases have significantly increased, disproportionately affecting countries with inadequate infrastructure for outbreak management. This could lead to severe local and regional consequences for agricultural production, environmental protection, access to markets, food security, and social stability.
With support of our project and development of New Plant Health Regime of the European Union, which includes the horizontal implementation of Official Control Regulation, covering also plant health emergencies, the Western Balkan Plant Protection Services can develop new tools and procedures to improve their effectiveness in detecting, fighting, and limiting the size of an outbreak of regulated plant pests and diseases in line with the EU standards. The current project aims to address the emergency coordination mechanism, as well as related preparedness and response tools by ensuring capacity for countries requesting better preparedness and responsiveness to any incursion of regulated plant pests while ensuring food security and social stability in the region.
Under the guidance of the project and in collaboration with the European Commission, European Food Safety Authority, the IPPC, the EPPO, and peer projects in the region, the Consultant will contribute to various project activities, including identifying the first target plant pests and diseases and vulnerable plants, assessing existing capacities and mechanisms to coordinate plant health emergencies, developing a roadmap to improve coordination, and adapting or developing new tools to fill identified gaps.
Join the global community of IPPC in celebrating #PlantHealthDay!
This year’s theme is #PlantHealth for Environmental Protection.
Sign up to take part in the high-level event featuring keynote speakers and leading experts!
12 May 2023
13:30 – 15:30 (CEST)