Harare, (New Ziana) -The Zimbabwe Plant Quarantine Services Institute (PQSI) is ramping up its defenses against the increasing menace of pests and diseases exacerbated by climate change, in a bid to protect the country’s agriculture and food security.
According to Louisa Makumbe, the Head of PQSI, the spread of new and invasive plant pests is forcing the country to constantly monitor, detect, and contain emerging threats.
“We recognize the importance of plant health in ensuring the country’s food security and economic development, and we are working hard to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases, and to protect our agriculture sector from the impacts of climate change,” she said.
The efforts of the PQSI are focused on detecting and preventing the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases, which can have devastating impacts on the country’s agriculture and food security.
The institute is working closely with farmers, traders, and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the importance of plant health and the need for strict phytosanitary measures.
“By strengthening plant health surveillance and response, Zimbabwe can mitigate the impacts of climate change on its agricultural sector and ensure food security for its people,” Makumbe said.
“The PQSI’s efforts are a critical component of this strategy, and the institute’s work is essential in a network of 40 substations strategically located across the country. The PQSI is monitoring borders, airports, and farms to detect and prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests and diseases.”
She said the institute is also enforcing strict phytosanitary standards for imports and exports to ensure that plant materials entering the country are free from pests and diseases.
“Climate change is driving the spread of new and invasive plant pests, posing a significant threat to Zimbabwe’s agriculture and food security,” Makumbe warned.
“As a country, we are constantly exposed to emerging plant pests and diseases because of climate change, the environment that pests are living in is changing so much that we constantly get new pests that we need to monitor, detect, and contain.”
One of the plant pests that the PQSI is fighting against is the Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus, which leads to a deadly disease called Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN).
As a signatory to the International Plant Protection Convention, the PQSI aligns its protocols with global standards to safeguard trade and protect the country’s agriculture sector.
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