Plant health is increasingly under threat. Climate change, and human activities, have altered ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and creating new niches where pests can thrive. At the same time, international travel and trade has tripled in volume in the last decade and can quickly spread pests and diseases around the world causing great damage to native plants and the environment.
Protecting plants from pests and diseases is far more cost effective than dealing with full-blown plant health emergencies. Plant pests and diseases are often impossible to eradicate once they have established themselves and managing them is time consuming and expensive. Prevention is critical to avoiding the devastating impact of pests and diseases on agriculture, livelihoods and food security and many of us have a role to play.
APSA is running a social media campaign through to the end of this year to recognize outstanding seed health advocates, seed scientists, pathologists, lab and field workers throughout the region, whose job is critical to ensuring our seeds and thus plants are free of pests and disease.
Purpose:
The campaign:
Eligibility: