Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is probably the region of the world where the problem of plant protection against pests (disease-causing pathogens, insect pests, nematodes etc.) is most acute. Globally, yield losses caused by pests on major crops have been estimated at between 17 and 30%, but affect SSA even more severely (Savary et al, 2019, Nature Ecology and Evolution). In addition to native pest species, the African continent is suffering from the invasion of exotic species that can be much more devastating than native species. The most recent examples are fruit flies, the fall armyworm, the South American tomato leaf miner, and the phytoviruses responsible for maize lethal necrosis and cassava brown streak. It is increasingly recognised that the action of these pests is exacerbated by climate change. Indeed, climate change can alter the behaviour and distribution of pests with significant negative consequences for agricultural production. Thus, pest damage in Africa is taking place in a particularly worrying context of food production shortfalls, population growth and global climate change, in which the emergence or re-emergence of pests and diseases could lead to humanitarian disasters.
With this in mind, the Committee on Developing Countries (COPED) of the French Academy of Sciences organised a miniforum from 13 to 14 December 2018 in Paris to initiate a review of scientific research knowledge in the field of plant protection in Africa (http://www.academie-sciences.fr/fr/COPED/protection-des-vegetaux-en afrique-subsaharienne.html). The Paris mini-forum brought together 16 participants from France (Académie des Sciences, IRD, SupAgro, CIRAD and IPS2, Orsay, Académie d’Agriculture) and West Africa (Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali). The discussions underlined the importance of the topic and justified the organisation of an international symposium, for which the theme chosen is "Plant protection issues in Africa in a context of climate change". Moreover, the organisation of this symposium is part of the International Year of Plant Health, which is a UN initiative for 2020 (http://www.fao.org/plant-health 2020/home/fr/).
The overall objective of the symposium is to review current strategies related to plant protection issues in SSA and to design/enhance mechanisms and actions for the efficient and effective management of plant pests.
Protection issues in SSA and to design/strengthen improvement mechanisms and actions for the efficient and sustainable management of the main pests.
The objectives of this international symposium are :
• To bring together at least 150 scientists from Europe and Africa in the field of plant protection ;
• To take stock of plant protection in sub-Saharan Africa ;
• To identify future research avenues in the light of recent scientific progress in plant protection ;
• To consider the establishment of an African institution for the promotion of plant protection research
• Establishment of an African-wide database for the protection of food crops.
Project Number : 2000-010
Year : 2020
Type of funding : SP
Project type : PC
Research units in the network : BGPI-PHIM
Flagship project :
Non
Project leader :
DIANA FERNANDEZ
Project leader's institution :
IRD
Project leader's RU :
IPME-PHIM
Budget allocated :
4000 €
Total budget allocated ( including co-financing) :
4000 €
Funding :
Labex