“The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the United Nations’ International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) for 2020, which aims to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.
Plants make up 80 percent of the food we eat and produce 98 percent of the oxygen we breathe. Yet, they are under constant and increasing threat from pests and diseases.
Every year, up to 40 percent of global food crops are lost to plant pests and diseases. This leads to annual agricultural trade losses of over $220 billion, leaves millions of people facing hunger, and severely damages agriculture – the primary income source for poor rural communities.
This is why policies and actions to promote plant health are fundamental for reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Source: DevelopmentAid
