Management and Control of Major Emerging Plant Pests in Agriculture in the Asian and Pacific Region

Date

November 10-14, 2008

Venue

Taiwan ROC

Co-sponsors

• National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences (NIAES), Japan
• Taiwan Agricultural Chemicals and Toxic Substances Research Institute (TACTRI), Taiwan ROC

Background / Highlights of Activity

With the expansion of global trade and people’s international travel, a number of alien invasive organisms and plant species, which potentially pose a great threat to　both agricultural production and indigenous ecosystem, have been brought in and out of the ASPAC region. In view of the expected threat, some economically viable Asian countries have invested enormous human resources and funds to minimize this potential damage so far, limited success. Effective and efficient counter-measures are therefore necessary to minimize the potential threat of a variety of invasive alien organisms and plant species based upon a proper risk analysis and risk management.

A database of the latest information on invasive species in the Asian-Pacific region is one of the most useful tools for recognizing the status quo of the invasive species in the said areas, and for working out practical strategies against them. The Asian-Pacific Alien Species Database (APASD), which was developed by the National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences (NIAES), Japan, fits this objective. Since its establishment in 2003, the database system has been successively improved and expanded in collaboration with FFTC. The continuous build-up of APASD is vital for countries in the region in terms of formulating measures for the prevention of intentional and unintentional introduction, spread and establishment of exotic plant pests and invasive organisms.

In view of this new approach to the management of Alien Invasive Species in the ASPAC region, the targeted species should be better focused on selected few, which are deemed to be economically important in most of the countries of the region. This seminar aims to develop feasible schemes for regulatory measures toward strengthening management and control of invasive plant pests in the Asian and Pacific region. In addition, this seminar shall seek to address the appropriate response through collaboration on recent developments and emerging agreements in the World Trade Organization (WTO) on SPS measures, trends and global situation, and asses their implications on agriculture in the region.

Objectives

In general, this seminar aims to come up with a practical and user-friendly technological framework for the management and control of invasive plant-pests devastating economically-valued agricultural products in the Asian and Pacific region.

In particular, the following objectives are deemed important:

1. To develop a risk analysis scheme for would-be invasive plant-pests in the pest-virgin regions;
2. To develop a risk management scheme for the devastating invasive plant-pests;
3. To develop a methodology for practical and user-friendly technical bulletin on management and control of relevant invasive plant-pests in the ASPAC region based upon a smart and innovative use of the APASD; and
4. To determine the status quo of invasion, spread and establishment of relevant exotic plant pests in the ASPAC region, and its future perspectives.

Expected output(s)

1. Technology and information exchange on invasive plant pests devastating economically valued agricultural products among the Asian and Pacific countries; a practical and user-friendly technical bulletin will be issued.
2. A smart and innovative use of APASD database for the management and control of Invasive Alien Species in the ASPAC region.