The Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, will commemorate the 2026 International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) in Mbombela.
The International Day of Plant Health is observed annually on 12 May to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.
The event will take place at the Ehlanzeni District Office Disaster Management Centre and forms part of global efforts to promote plant health and biosecurity.
The International Day of Plant Health was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development.
This year’s commemoration will be held under the theme “Plant Biosecurity for Food Security”, highlighting the importance of safeguarding crops and natural vegetation from pests and diseases.
The initiative also supports the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Goal 2, which aims to achieve zero hunger.
The department said the event seeks to increase awareness among policymakers, industry stakeholders and the public about the need to protect plant resources, especially in the context of growing international trade in plants and plant products.
“The IDPH is further envisaged to assist in minimising the risk of spreading plant pests as a result of international trade in plants and plant products and foster the implementation of the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM),” the department said in a statement. - SAnews.gov.za
