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Plants make up 80 percent of the food we eat. Yet, they are under constant threat from pests and diseases.
Up to 40 percent of global food crops are destroyed by pests every year, resulting in annual agricultural trade losses of over $220 billion, and millions of people left hungry.
Policies and actions to promote plant health are fundamental for reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will
launch the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) for 2020 to raise awareness about the importance of plant health in addressing hunger, poverty and environmental threats, and boosting economic development.
FAO and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) will lead activities for the implementation of the Year
– declared by the United Nations at the end of 2018 – and to promote plant health in 2020 and beyond.
The International Year of Plant Health will be
launched by Qu Dongyu, FAO Director-General (at 6 pm, Sheikh Zayed Centre) during the 163rd session of the FAO Council.
The following guests will also speak at the opening session:
·
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General (by video message)
·
Edward Centeno Gadea, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Nicaragua
·
Andrew Doyle, Minister of State at the Department of
Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland
·
Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Finland
·
Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary of Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK
Other events on plant health and sidelines of the FAO Council:
The launch will be followed by a
panel discussion on plant health (Sheikh Zayed Centre), and journalists are also invited to visit an
exhibition (Atrium) marking the event.
As part of its efforts to engage the public and increase knowledge about plant health, FAO will launch a
photo contest, asking amateur and professional photographers to share photos of healthy and unhealthy plants.
The following
side events
will also take place on the sidelines of the FAO Council (Sheikh Zayed Centre):
·
New Challenges through Innovation (3 December)
·
New Business Model of Cooperation: Hand-in-Hand and other Initiatives (4 December)
·
Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control (4 December)
·
World Soil Day Celebration (5 December)
·
Innovation through Personalized Nutrition (6 December)
All events are open to the media.
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RESOURCES
Info on IYPH, including on agenda and photo contest
FAO Council
FAO Council Side Events
IPPC website
FOLLOW ON TWITTER
@FAOnews @FAO @ippcnews
#PlantHealth #IYPH2020
WEBCAST
The IYPH launch and some of the Council’s side events will be webcast live and available
here.
MEDIA ACCREDITATION
Accreditation must be done no later than Friday, 29 November at 12 pm (Rome time). Please send:
·
a copy of a valid press card
(or) letter of assignment on company stationery
·
a copy of a valid ID (passport, identity card)
·
Email to
[log in to unmask].
Include “Press Accreditation" in the subject line.
·
Please have all ID materials with you to gain access to FAO premises.
CONTACT
For accreditation and more information:
(+39) 06 570 53625
[log in to unmask]
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