South Perth, Western Australia
November 7, 2012
Western Australia’s first State Biosecurity Forum, held in Fremantle today, has been told a global biosecurity strategy is integral for the protection of food supplies.
Department of Agriculture and Food plant biosecurity director Shashi Sharma said the strategy was necessary to produce, protect and provide food for present and future generations.
“The plant industry, the source of food and feed worldwide, is facing an increasing number of pest outbreaks that significantly affect food production and availability,” Dr Sharma said.
“About 70,000 pest species are reported to damage agricultural crops worldwide.
“Almost every day there are reports of new, emerging, re-emerging or threatening pests in different parts of the world. With massive increases in people and goods movements, it is inevitable that we are seeing new pest threats emerging for the food value chain.
“Today, the world faces enhanced potential for the dispersal of potential pest species. Incidents of microbial diseases appear to be increasing, with the number of named plant viruses increasing from less than 380 species in 1991 to more than 1000 species currently.”
Dr Sharma said exotic invasive pest species were estimated to cause a $1.4 trillion loss per year worldwide.
“These losses are much higher in the developing countries, which lack effective biosecurity systems to safeguard their plant industries from pests that can come with the transportation of food and other goods,” he said.
“Food distribution, without an underpinning biosecurity risk management plan, can be extremely risky. It may provide a short term food security solution, but it can sow seeds for a long term intergenerational food insecurity problem.”
Dr Sharma said developing countries needed to implement proper biosecurity strategies to safeguard their food chain from pest risks, while accommodating trade.
“Australia’s robust biosecurity system is an excellent model for developing countries,” he said.
“However Australia, like other developed countries, must continue to maintain and enhance investment in biosecurity preparedness, particularly to develop a much stronger post-border biosecurity system.
“We need to encourage continued innovation to develop tools to identify new and emerging plant pest threats and pathways, and optimise surveillance and pest incident response activities.
“We should have a ‘3P’ strategy to achieve sustainable food security for our present and future generations produce food sustainably; protect food from loss in the value chain; and provide biosecure food to regions and communities in need. The strategy needs to be implemented to maximise the productivity and security of our food value chain.”
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