Role of Plant Quarantine in Biodiversity Conservation

Plant Quarantine is a legislative (regulatory) method that applies conditions and/or requirements for the intra-regional and international movement/trade of flora to exclude or prevent pests from entering into an area where they do not exist. By monitoring the import and export of plant, seed/planting material to prevent the spread of disease and insect pests may move along with the infected plants, seed, fruit, planting materials, or equipment.

Plant quarantines rules and regulations promulgated by governments to regulate the introduction of plants, planting materials, plant products, soil, living organisms, from one region to another with a view to prevent inadvertent introduction of exotic pests, weeds, and pathogens hat may be harmful to the biodiversity of the country’s agriculture, horticulture or the environment. If and when a pest is introduced plant quarantine measure also prevent their establishment and further spread” without adversely affecting trade. Quarantine also aims to prevent entry of dangerous pathogens, but not by completely blocking the movement of biological material.

Biodiversity is crucial for a healthy environment, and healthy environment also promote biodiversity. Hence the IPPC has many common objectives with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) – the foremost global biodiversity treaty. In particular, the IPPC provides guidance on preserving biodiversity by protecting the environment from plant pests and invasive alien species – one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. The IPPC directly addresses the CBD’s Aichi target nine of “identifying and prioritizing invasive alien species and pathways and putting in place measures to manage species to prevent their introduction and establishment”.

 Plant pests cause the loss of:

1. 40% of all crops globally

2. US$220 billions of annual trade in agricultural products

Introduced Pest cause.

1. $100 Billion of annual environmental losses in the United States of America, the United Kingdom of      Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Australia, South Africa, India and Brazil

Invasive alien species; are one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss

 Plant quarantine measures are of particular importance and relevant to countries that depends heavily on agriculture but also for countries that are less dependent on agriculture as a major export goods, for example India’s economy is largely based on agriculture. Quarantine not only helps to ward off the threats of exotic pests, but also aims to eliminate and prevent further spread of pests/pathogens (both indigenous and introduced) with restricted distribution within the country (domestic quarantine). Governments through quarantine services offer beneficiaries, which are beyond the capabilities of individuals or that are difficult to obtain in some other way at a lesser cost. Thus, plant quarantine, in real sense, serves as a national service by monitoring and preventing the introduction of exotic pests/pathogens/weeds and their further spread to protect the country’s biodiversity. However, such endeavors could only succeed with the active support of all the administrators, general public, farmers, scientists, communication media, customs, and others.

International travel and trade can quickly spread plant pests and diseases around the world causing great damage to plants and the environment. At the same time, climate change is altering ecosystems and creating new niches where pests and plant diseases can thrive. The combined effect of human activities and climate change puts enormous pressure on the environment and consequently on plant health, agriculture and the food systems.