White River, Mpumalanga – The Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), officially launched the second phase of the Africa Phytosanitary Programme (APP) this week, marking a significant step in the continent’s efforts to combat crop-threatening pests through innovation and digital technology.

The launch event, held in White River on Monday, brought together over 50 plant health specialists from nine African nations, including Algeria, South Africa, Malawi, and Senegal. Over the next week, participants will undergo intensive training in advanced pest surveillance techniques, utilizing digital tools and geospatial applications to monitor, detect, and report pest outbreaks.

Officials emphasized the critical role phytosanitary systems play in protecting Africa’s agricultural productivity, biodiversity, and trade. Speaking on behalf of Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, Jan Hendrik Venter, Director of Plant Health, highlighted the continent’s potential to lead global plant product exports—provided international health standards are rigorously upheld.

“Africa is at a turning point,” Venter said. “If we want to access high-value markets and protect our food systems, we must strengthen our surveillance and response capacity.”

APP’s second phase builds upon the foundation laid in 2023, when the pilot programme trained officials from countries such as Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda. With funding from the EU, UK, and support from the USDA, the initiative aims to expand technical capacity by enabling trained officers to transfer knowledge within their respective national plant protection organisations (NPPOs).

FAO Deputy Director General Beth Bechdol, in a video address, emphasized the importance of equipping plant health officers with tools to fight invasive pests—such as fall armyworm and citrus greening—that threaten food security and result in billions of dollars in crop losses across Africa.

The expanded programme comes at a time when climate change is exacerbating pest outbreaks. Data from the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) estimates the fall armyworm alone causes annual losses of USD 9.4 billion across the continent.

As the APP scales up, it offers hope for a stronger, more resilient agricultural future—one where early detection, swift response, and regional collaboration can help Africa realize its full agricultural potential.