We lose up to 40% of our food crops, to plant pest and
diseases.
With the Caribbean’s drive to increase food production and the growing impacts of climate
change, policies and actions to promote plant health are fundamental for reaching the
Sustainable Development Goals, in particular those aimed at eliminating hunger and
malnutrition and reducing poverty and threats to the environment.
In recognition of the inaugural International Day of Plant Health to be observed annually on 12
May and a key legacy of the International Year of Plant Health 2020, The Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlights the damaging consequences of pests and
diseases and the critical importance of good plant health to ensuring food security and nutrition
and the protection of livelihoods, biodiversity and the environment.
Growing vulnerability to plant pests and diseases
FAO’s Scientific Review on the Impact of Climate Change on Plant Pests shows that the rise in
temperature and change in weather patterns due to climate change will increase the risk of
pests spreading in agricultural and forestry ecosystems. Climate change-induced pest dispersal
and intensity threaten food security as a whole. Small holders, people whose livelihoods rely on
plant health and those who live in countries beset by food insecurity are especially vulnerable
to these risks; with invasive pests being one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. The
vulnerability of the Caribbean to climate change and the accompanying emergence of new
plant pests and diseases means the management and promotion of plant health is critical to
food security and increased food production.
Managing pests and preserving health
With plant pests and diseases threatening crop production and agriculture, the protection of
plants is a priority for FAO. Taking proactive measures to protecting plants from pests and
diseases is far more cost effective than dealing with plant health emergencies. As, once
established, they are often impossible to eradicate, and managing them is time consuming and
expensive. Also very important, are the methods used to control and manage pests and
diseases, and ensuring these do not compromise human health and the environment.
In managing pests and diseases, it is crucial to consider that in all habitats, the production of
plants and plant material should take place in an environment which is non-toxic and safe for
plant production and harvest and also, for the many diverse organisms which provide
ecosystem services that serve, protect and favourably enhance the environment in which we
live.
Pesticides, a problematic line of defence
According to Guy Mathurin, Regional Project Coordinator for the FAO Caribbean Pesticide
Management Project, “Very often the first resort for farmers and agriculturalists to manage
plant pests and diseases in food production is the use of pesticides. Highly Hazardous Pesticides
(HHPs) in particular can have long-lasting negative effects on human health and the
environment.”
In addition, pests and diseases can build-up resistance to synthetic chemical pesticide products
which make them ineffective and this in turn, further exacerbates the health risks posed to
users, bystanders, consumers and the environment.
Alternative methods to safeguard plant health
The Coordinating Group of Pesticide Control Boards of the Caribbean (CGPC) through the FAO
Caribbean Pesticide Management Project have been working to identify viable, sustainably
sourced and economical alternatives to HHPs. With the aim to promote farmer and consumer
health and safety and phase out HHPs. This work has included the identification of national and
regional priorities for the development of a HHP Risk Reduction Plan for the Caribbean and the
promotion of integrated pest, disease and weed management using nontoxic alternatives
including cultural and physical methods, bio pesticides, botanicals and biological control.
Beyond the direct application of pesticides
Safeguarding plant health extends beyond the direct application of pesticides to combat pests
and diseases, to ensuring that throughout the pesticide life-cycle there are policies and
management practices that can ensure that human and environmental health are holistically
considered. In seeking to address these issues that ultimately impact plant health, the project
has supported the removal of 320 tonnes of obsolete pesticide stocks from project countries,
the management of empty pesticide containers, developed updated model pesticide
legislation and the training of pesticide registrars and technicians in the use of the FAO
Pesticide Registration Toolkit.
Recognising the need for education of all involved in the process of preserving plant health,
inclusive of those involved in pesticide life cycle management, Mathurin stresses, “We all have
an important role to play in the research and development of alternative methods to manage
plant pests and diseases, we need to remain vigilant and closely observe our plants in all
habitats and report any suspected problems to plant health authorities. Without healthy plants,
food supply and forest resources are reduced, which adversely affect biodiversity and clean
water supplies”.