New and emerging plant health challenges at IPPC event in London

Plant health is a key factor in any strategy to achieve food security, protect the environment and biodiversity, and facilitate safe trade. The First International Plant Health Conference, held from 21–23 September 2022 in London, aimed to address new and emerging plant health challenges, including climate change impacts, the risks associated with significant increase in international trade, the rapid loss of biological diversity and new pest pathways, such as e-commerce, by exploring more efficient national, regional and global policies, structures and mechanisms. The Conference was co-organised by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) of the UK and the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

COLEACP works increasingly closely with the IPPC on plant health, particularly through the FFM SPS programme. The specific objective of FFM SPS is to enable smallholders, farmer groups and organisations, and MSMEs to access international and domestic horticultural markets by complying with SPS issues and market requirements, in a sustainable framework.
The Conference was an opportunity for COLEACP to liaise with the IPPC Secretariat and to meet experts from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market SPS programme, implemented by COLEACP within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union.