Webinar: Reimagining global plant health: Linking experience, innovation, technology and policy
22 April 2026 | 12:00 – 13:30 CEST
Organized by FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP), the event will explore how innovation, technology and policy can work together to strengthen global plant health and support more resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.
This webinar will present innovative solutions that are transforming plant health management through the integration of advanced technologies and agroecological practices. It will highlight how AI‑powered predictive modeling and computer vision support early pest detection and early warning, while digital extension systems and Farmer Field Schools accelerate the uptake of integrated pest management (IPM). The session will also showcase agroecological strategies that strengthen soil health and natural pest control, alongside emerging tools such as drone‑assisted biopesticide applications and robotic weeders.
Bringing together policymakers, researchers, extension specialists, technology innovators and development partners, the webinar aims to foster dialogue on how innovation and policy can accelerate the transition towards climate-resilient, sustainable and pest-suppressive agrifood systems.
Objectives of the webinar:
1. Share country experiences from China, Ghana and Lebanon on innovative management of major global transboundary pests.
2. Discuss policy and regulatory innovations that facilitate the adoption of innovative new technologies and strengthened extension systems, while highlighting linkages with One Health and ecosystem conservation.
Don´t miss this opportunity and join us for this important discussion.
The event will be held in English.
Moderator: Mr Baogen Gu, Senior Agricultural Officer, Pest and Pesticides Management Team Leader, NSP, FAO
| Time | Item | Presenter |
| 12:00 – 12:10 | Welcoming remarks | Mr Chikelu Mba, Deputy Director, NSP, FAO |
| 12:10 – 12:40 | Statements on sustainable plant health management |
· Mr Xiang Yu, Deputy Director of Department of Crop Production, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China · Mr Eric Bentsil Quaye, Director of Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana · Ms. Sylvana Gerges, Head of the Plant Protection Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Lebanon |
| 12:40 – 13:15 |
Technical session on innovation and adoption of new Plant Health technologies and practices
FAO Global Program on Plant Health for One Health |
· Mr Joop van Lenteren, Wageningen University on Biological Control in Agriculture · Mr Yuan Huizhu, Institute of Plant Protection, CAAS, China on Intelligent Plant Health Technology · Ms Lara Maistrello, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy on Innovation and Technology on Management of Invasive Pests · Mr Saliou Niassy, African Union Inter-African Phytosanitary Council on Plant Pest Management and One Health · Ms Sarah Brunel, Program Officer, International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO |
| 13:15 – 13:30 | Discussion | Mr Baogen Gu, Senior Agricultural Officer, NSP, FAO |