International Day of Plant Health - 12 May, 2023

"Healthy plants can help to end hunger, reduce poverty, protest the environment, and boost economic development!" (Food and Agriculture Organization, United States)

Why plant health?

Plants play a critical role in sustaining life on Earth.

They provide us with 80 percent of our food and 98 percent of the oxygen we breathe.

International travel and trade have been linked to the introduction and proliferation of plant pests, which can have disastrous effects on biodiversity.

Global rising temperatures associated with climate change have also created new opportunities for pests to spread and establish themselves in new areas.

To protect plant health, it is crucial for us to promote environmentally friendly practices, such as integrated pest management and raise international standards for phytosanitary measures (ISPMs) in trade.

An Important Global Day

The United Nations has declared May 12th as the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) to raise global awareness about the critical role of protecting plant health in ending hunger, reducing poverty, preserving biodiversity, and promoting economic development.

The IDPH is a legacy of the International Year of Plant Health 2020.

By playing our part, we can help prevent the spread of plant pests and disease while promoting best practices in sustainability.

You can find our more here at: International Day of Plant Health, 12 May | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (fao.org)

Thanks for reading, thanks for caring WA community.