International Day of Plant Health 2024: Date, Theme, History, and Significance

The International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) is observed on 12 May to raise awareness about the necessity of protecting plant health in order to prevent hunger, reduce poverty, safeguard biodiversity, and promote economic development. Plants make up to 80 percent of the food we consume and 98 percent of the oxygen we breathe, yet they are severely affected by pests and diseases.

According to the FAO, up to 40 percent of food crops are destroyed by plant pests and diseases every year, which not only has a detrimental impact on agriculture but also exacerbates global hunger, threatens rural livelihoods, and costs the global economy up to $220 billion annually. Invasive insects, which can spread diseases, pose an additional threat to plant health and biodiversity.

The International Plant Health Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the critical role that plant health plays in human health and the environment.

The United Nations established the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) to draw public attention to the necessity of safeguarding plant health in order to prevent hunger, reduce poverty, safeguard biodiversity, and promote economic development. The IDPH resolution was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly in March 2022, and was co-signed by Bolivia, Finland, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tanzania and Zambia.

The resolution emphasises the crucial role of healthy plants in the sustainable development of agriculture required to support a growing global population by 2050. It also acknowledges the functions of plants in regulating ecosystems, providing food security and nutrition, and promoting biodiversity.

Each year, the International Day of Plant Health is celebrated on 12 May. The day is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of plant health and ensuring food safety and sustainable trade. This year, the theme for the International Day of Plant Health 2024 is 'Plant Health, Safe Trade, Digital Technology'.

The theme emphasises the need for international collaboration and standards in promoting plant health. The Food and Agriculture Office of the United Nations (FAO) is marking the International Day of Plant Health 2024 by hosting an event on 13 May 2024 in Rome, Italy. The event will focus on sustainable agriculture practices and promoting plant health. The International Day of Plant Health 2024 calls on everyone to raise awareness and take action to keep our plants healthy and ensure food safety and safe trade for sustainable economies and livelihoods, according to fao.org.

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