Accra, June 11, GNA – Mr. Eric Bentil Quaye, Director, Plant and Protection Regulatory Services Department (PPRSD), has called on industry players to adhere to stringent plant health standards to safeguard international trade and prevent the spread of invasive pests.
He said plants were the cornerstone of global food security, supplying 80 per cent of food, yet it was alarming that up to 40 per cent of crops were lost annually to pests and diseases.
Mr Quaye was speaking at the International Day of Plant Health Celebration 2024 in Ghana, on the theme, “Plant Health, Safe Trade and Digital Technology.”
The global event is scheduled for May 12 each year but the Ghana version had to be postponed due to the ban on drumming and noise making by the Ga traditional council.
The objective is to create awareness on the importance of plant protection in reducing hunger and poverty, safeguarding biodiversity and the environment, as well as boosting economic development.
He said in recent times, climate change and ecosystem balance had become a major issue of concern, and that the pressing issue of climate change underscored the importance of plant health.
“Plants, the lungs of our earth, are integral to mitigating the effects of this global crisis. They absorb carbon dioxide, regulate weather patterns, and sustain the green fabric of our ecosystem,” he added.
He said the repercussions of plant diseases regarding the economic impact and trade were staggering, with losses amounting to approximately USD 220 billion.
Mr. Quaye said the health of the environment, animals, and ourselves were interconnected, ensuring the health of plants was a step towards preventing plant pests and diseases and maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.
He said PPRSD as the National Plant Protection Organisation for Ghana and the official contact point for the International Plant Protection Convention had a massive obligation to keep plants healthy by protecting them from pest and disease infestations.
“Key amongst them is the performing of Sanitary and Phytosanitary activities across 54 entry and exit points, put in place robust Pest Risk Analysis tools that are used to assess the risk associated with every plant product imported into Ghana, among others,” he added.
Mr. Paul Siameh, Chief Director, Ministry for Foods and Agriculture (MOFA), said Plants played a fundamental role in the complex connection between humans, animals and the environment, sustaining all forms of life on earth.
“The foods we eat are predominantly plant based, even the animals we eat depend on plants as feed. Plants provide more than 98 per cent of the oxygen we breathe, serve as an important source of medicine and a tool for medical research,” he added.
The Chief Director of MOFA said agriculture in Ghana was dominated by the crop sector which contributed over 65 per cent of agricultural Gross Domestic Product to feed the constantly increasing human population which was estimated to reach 9.7 billion by 2050.
He added that to end hunger, alleviate poverty, boost economic growth and protect biodiversity, there was a need to raise awareness on plant health.
Mr. Siameh said plant pests destroyed up to 40 per cent of global crops produced annually threatening food security and livelihood of millions especially the most vulnerable class who solely depended on crop production.
He said the Government had been spending millions of cedis to procure insecticides for distribution to farmers to mitigate the impact of the pest.
Mr. Siameh said the introduction and spread of the pests were facilitated by human activities through movement of plant materials in trade, travel and tourism.
He added that the changing climate was also facilitating the spread and establishment of these pests by modifying natural boundaries, creating a more favourable environment for pests to survive and reducing their developmental time allowing for several generations in a year.
He added that currently, plant pests such as Banana bunchy top virus, fusarium wilt TR4, Cassava brown streak virus, Citrus greening disease, Xyllela fastidiosa were threatening production and utilisation of Banana, Cassava and Citrus anywhere they were introduced and encouraged stakeholders to work together to put in place appropriate measures to prevent the introduction of the pests into the country.
Mr. Siameh said the public needed to be aware of the risk of introducing plant pests when purchasing plant materials, either for trade, research or recreational purposes adding that the Government would continue to support PPRSD and other relevant institutions to predict, prevent and prepare for plant health threats.
GNA