INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PLANT HEALTH

Shane Kirk explains the global impact of good plant health

TThe United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) nominated 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) to raise global awareness around plant health and how crucial plants, trees and forests are to our existence.

Protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, boost economic development, protect the environment and support and enhance biodiversity. In this regard, it is vital that we protect our horticulture, amenity/landscape and forestry sectors.

Human activity and climate change have altered ecosystems; reducing biodiversity and creating new niches where pests and diseases can thrive. International travel and trade have tripled in scale in the last decade and can be responsible for the spread of pests and diseases around the world.

The FAO slogan for IYPH is “Protecting Plants, Protecting Life.” Plants are crucial to the world’s ecosystems and biodiversity. They are essential for human survival. Plants make up 80% of the food we eat and produce 98% of the oxygen we breathe. Plants are also crucial to the global economy with the annual value of trade in agricultural products estimated at €1.5 trillion.

The key messages for IYPH are: ● Keep plants healthy to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals. ● Be careful when bringing plants and plant products across borders; Don’t Risk It! ● Make trading in plants and plant products safe by complying with the international plant health standards. ● Keep plants healthy while protecting the environment. ● Invest in plant health capacity development, research and outreach.

IYPH AND IRELAND President Michael D. Higgins planted a native sessile oak (Quercus petraea) in Phoenix Park recently, to officially launched the IYPH in Ireland. The protection of Ireland’s native species of flora and fauna and biodiversity is essential to the quality of life for the citizens of this island and for future generations.

Ireland currently has 23 EU recognised protected zones (the highest in the EU) for specific harmful pests and diseases with accompanying special legislation which is approved by the EU. This legislation allows Ireland to adopt special phytosanitary (plant health) measures to safeguard against the introduction and emergence of these plant pests and diseases on this island.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) as the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of Ireland works very closely with all stakeholders of the horticultural and forestry industry to protect our biodiversity. Throughout the year DAFM will be promoting awareness of plant health through a range of events reaching out to a broad range of stakeholders. ✽

PHOTO: PRESIDENT OF IRELAND MICHAEL D. HIGGINS PLANTS A NATIVE SESSILE OAK TREE IN PHOENIX PARK TO COMMEMORATE IRELAND’S LAUNCH OF INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PLANT HEALTH 2020. PICTURE: COLM MAHADY/FENNELLS

SHANE KIRK is an Inspector in the Horticulture and Plant Health Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Shane is a UCD Horticulture Degree graduate with extensive experience in the sector prior to joining DAFM, where he is focused on facilitating trade of Horticultural produce and protecting Ireland's Plant Health status.

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