Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Thursday, April 1, 2021

One Health Approach: CGIAR Plant Health Webinar Series

The UN celebrates the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH), with events through July 2021. CGIAR has significant scientific knowledge, extensive experience on the ground, and thought leadership that can contribute to the global discussion on plant health to advance awareness, collaboration, and scaling of needed interventions. 

CGIAR’s IYPH events comprises a series of four webinars of global scope targeting scientists and researchers working in relevant fields. The webinars will take an in-depth look into current science in the area, identify areas for further research, and opportunities to take current scientific innovations to scale. 

 Each webinar examined one aspect of the crop supply chain—from genebanks to farmers’ fields to consumers’ plates—to identify ways of promoting the adoption of tools and practices designed to boost the long-term health of plants and the environment in low- and middle-income countries. With the acceleration of the effects of climate change on the incidence and intensity of pests and diseases, identification of the right crop varieties, mix of crops, and tools and practices will be key to ensuring the availability of food to feed the planet. 

31 March 2021WEBINAR 4 | A One Health approach
Webinar 4 brought together scientists working at the intersections of environmental, human, and animal health. In this session, the experts examined plant health and agriculture from a “One Health” approach—a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary perspective that recognizes the health of people, animals, plants and their environments as all closely connected. In this approach, agricultural practices and plant health outcomes are both determined by, and contribute to, ecological, animal, and human health.
  • Moderator - Jeff Waage, Professor of International Development and CGIAR Agriculture for Nutrition and Health Program, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 
  • Navin Ramankutty, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Environmental Change and Food Security, University of British Columbia 
  • Rousseau Djouaka, Molecular Entomologist, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Elikana Lekei, Pesticides Regulatory Consultant, Tanzania Pesticide Research Institute (formerly) 
  • Janice Olawoye, Former Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan 
  • Vivian Hoffmann, Senior Research Fellow, Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) 
  • Arshnee Moodley, Team Leader, Antimicrobial Resistance, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
   

10 March 2021. WEBINAR 3 | Integrated pest and disease management 
Webinar 3 examined integrated approaches for sustainable management of transboundary diseases and crop pests and their implications for agri-food system sustainability, social inclusion and gender equity. Drawing on both successes and enduring challenges, experts will identify the potential benefits of more gender-responsive approaches to pest and disease control; more coordinated action by national, regional and global organizations; and lessons to be learned from successful animal health management.
  • Moderator Rob Bertram Chief Scientist, Bureau for Resilience and Food Security United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 
  • B.M. Prasanna Director, Global Maize Program International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) 
  • Nozomi Kawarazuka Social Anthropologist International Potato Center (CIP) 
  • Regina Eddy Coordinator, Fall Armyworm Interagency Task Force United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 
  • Annet Mulema Social Scientist, Gender International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
Blogs
   

Webinar 2 highlighted the importance of germplasm (phytosanitary) health in the prevention of transboundary pest and disease spread, as well as the propagation of clean planting material to be used locally. Experts discussed the implications of poor germplasm practices on agricultural and food system sustainability, farmer livelihoods, and food and nutrition security. They also examined how opportunities for greater workplace diversity in germplasm health hubs and gender-responsive programming could drive more inclusive sustainable development.
  • Moderator Lava Kumar Head of the Germplasm Health Unit, & Virology and Molecular Diagnostics Unit International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) 
  • Moderator Jan Kreuze Head of Health and Quarantine Unit International Potato Center (CIP) 
  • Vivian Polar Gender and Innovation, Senior Specialist CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) 
  • Safaa Kumari Head of Germplasm Health Unit International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) 
  • Ravi Khetarpal Executive Secretary Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) 
  • Francoise Petter Assistant Director European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) 
  • Charlotte Lusty Head of Programs Crop Diversity Trust 
  • Jingyuan Xia Secretary International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Blogs
   

Webinar 1 discussed the anticipated impacts of climate change on plant health in smallholder systems, tackling how the occurrence, intensity, and frequency of biotic and abiotic stresses will change as a function of climate change. It provided participants with information on the negative effects on plant health, in relation to food security, nutrition, environment, gender, and livelihoods, as well as on the role of research in providing support to global efforts to mitigate or adapt to climate change challenges for plant health.
  • Moderator Sonja Vermeulen Director of Programs CGIAR System Organization 
  • Henri Tonnang Head of Data Management, Modelling and Geo-Information Unit International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) 
  • Karen Garrett Preeminent Professor of Plant Pathology University of Florida 
  • Achim Dobermann Chief Scientist International Fertilizer Association (IFA) 
  • Jemimah Njuki Director for Africa International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) 
  • Juliana Jaramillo Theme Lead, Sustainable Agriculture Rainforest Alliance 
  • Ana Maria Loboguerrero Research Director for Climate Action Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT 
  • Shenggen Fan Chair Professor and Dean, Academy of Global Food, Economics, and Policy (AGFEP) China Agricultural University 
  • TR Sharma Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences) Indian Council of Agricultural Research Krishi Bhawan
Blogs
 

No comments:

Post a Comment