KPC3447: International Year of Plant Health

The United Nations (UN) designated 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) to raise awareness of the importance of healthy plants and the necessity of efforts to protect them as well as to promote global cooperation and investment. In celebration of the IYPH, Korea Post is issuing the commemorative stamp International Year of Plant Health.

Plants are the source of air we breathe and most of the food we eat. According to statistics by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), up to 40% of crops worldwide are lost diseases and pests every year. If this translates into cost, loss by plant diseases is estimated to be 220 billion dollars per year, and loss by plant pests, 70 billion dollars per year. Many people are suffering from the resulting food shortages, which are also causing serious damage to agriculture as the main source of income for the poor.

International travel and trade have more than tripled in the last decade and also increased the risk of introducing plant diseases and pests into other countries. Furthermore, climate change and ecosystem destruction are increasing the possibility of widespread plant diseases and pests as well as damage to plants. Diseases and pests introduced from other regions often spread rapidly and cause massive damage. Once introduced, it is very difficult and costly to eliminate the plant diseases and pests. Thus, the most effective and efficient measure is to prevent dangerous exotic diseases and pests from entering in. Accordingly, many countries use plant quarantine laws and schemes to minimize the inflow and spread of diseases and pests.

To prevent the movement of plant diseases and pests, raise the understanding of each government and its people about plant quarantine, and strengthen cooperation between different countries, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) proposed the IYPH. “The designation of 2020 as the IYPH is expected to increase policy support in the plant quarantine field and promote global cooperation to raise public awareness,” said the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, an agency responsible for plant quarantine in Korea.

The commemorative stamp International Year of Plant Health depicts people watering and taking care of plants between colorful forests and golden crops. This commemorative stamp, which represents the beautiful coexistence between humanity and nature, will serve as an opportunity to remind people of the value of important plant resources.