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18th Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures

15 April 2024, Video Message (Opening Remarks) by Dr. QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on the 18th Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM).

Duration 6m39s

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Video Type Video Message

Date 04/15/2024 12:00 AM

File size 491.37 MB

Unique ID UF164D7

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UNFAO Source FAO Video

Script 18th Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures
Video Message
(Opening Remarks)
By
Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
15 April 2024
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1. Welcome to the 18
th
Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM).
2. As the governing body of the International Plant Protection Commission (IPPC), you have
the important responsibility of ensuring the integrity and safety of our agricultural
produce and our agrifood systems.
3. The work of the CPM and the IPPC are key to safeguarding plants and contributing to
global food security.
4. Which is in line with FAO’s mandate and the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 which
guides our support to Members for the transformation of global agrifood systems to be
more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, and more sustainable,
5. Underlined by our collective aspiration of the Four Betters – better production, better
nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
6. The challenges we face in food and agriculture are both complex and multifaceted.
7. The threat of invasive plant pests and diseases is constant; the increasing risks due to the
climate crisis are real and urgent; and the impacts on global trade make our responsibility
to protect plant health even more demanding and necessary.
8. Pest outbreaks put agriculture at risk; they destroy crops, devastate livelihoods and
damage ecosystems.
9. Take, for example, bananas. Just two weeks ago, FAO hosted the 4
th
Global Conference of
the World Banana Forum during which we discussed the important joint work that the
IPPC and FAO are carrying out to support many banana-producing countries in combatting
TR4 (the Fusarium Tropical Race 4 disease).
10. Most of the affected countries are low-income, food-deficit countries.
11. The TR4 pathogen impacts yields and causes losses that affect more than 400 million
farmers, producers and rural households who depend on banana as a staple crop.
12. To combat it requires a collective effort, as it does for other plant pests and diseases.
Dear Colleagues,

13. Your work this week will once again highlight our individual and collective responsibility in
in curbing potential pest and disease spreads and introductions.
14. Although there is a strong global focus on food safety and animal health standards to
ensure food security, we must remember that it all starts with plant health standards.
15. International plant health standards are the “guard rails” against the impact of plant pests
and diseases.
16. A framework to regulate the international trade of plants and agricultural crops is key to
reduce the risk of entry of pests and diseases into new territories.
17. These standards ensure that the trade of agricultural products is compliant and focused on
safety because plant pests know no boundaries!
18. The phytosanitary standards, amendments, and recommendations that you will discuss
and endorse over the coming days are integral tools that support safe trade and protect
plants.
19. Harmonized standards foster greater compliance and collaboration among all IPPC
contracting parties.
20. But we need to be more innovative with our approach and solutions. The IPPC has already
started supporting sharing technology across member countries to support safe trade and
economic growth,
21. And the digitalization of phytosanitary certificates with the ePhyto Solution has provided a
central exchange system for all countries to use, and it has been key in facilitating safe
trade.
Dear Colleagues,
22. Changing weather patterns and rising temperatures have changed the geographic
distribution and intensity of plant pests and diseases.
23. The consequences of unchecked pest and disease outbreaks are far-reaching and can
inflict irreversible damage on ecosystems, trade, and the global food supply.
24. For this reason, the work of the CPM in facilitating international cooperation and
information exchange on early detection, rapid response, and coordinated control efforts
is indispensable.
25. And the impacts of the climate crisis make your role even more critical.
26. At COP28, FAO launched a Global Roadmap to achieve SDG 2 without breaching the 1.5° C
threshold - CPM’s work on managing the impact of climate change on plant health is an
important component of this roadmap.
27. For example, to protect crops we need to promote the use of integrated pest management
to reduce our reliance on chemical products, which contributes to achieving SDG2.
28. FAO is committed to continue supporting the IPPC to provide support to our Members on
plant health, and achieving food security.
29. I wish you a fruitful session with tangible outcomes going forward.
30. Thank you.

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