International Year of Plant Health 2020 (IYPH 2020) was officially declared by the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly on 20th December 2018.
Why an IYPH 2020?
National, regional and global plant health organizations need to raise awareness of the importance and positive impacts of plant health in addressing issues of global importance, including hunger, poverty, threats to the environment and economic development.
Why do we need to raise awareness for plant health?
·In recent years the risks of pest movement and introduction into new areas have increased dramatically.
· Increased trade in plant commodities and products and the effects of climate change provide easier opportunities for pests, weeds and disease causing organisms to enter establish and spread into new environments.
·Over the same time period, the human and monetary resources of plant health services and plant protection research and educational services have consistently decreased.
To tackle these challenges, it is essential to raise the awareness of the importance of plant health to both decision-makers and the general public.