Main Threats

Main Threats

There are pests and diseases in different parts of the world that do not exist in the countries of the OIRSA region, which can cause adverse economic, social, and political impacts if they enter, as they not only affect national production but can also provoke trade barriers with trading partners. They can also cause severe damage to ecosystems and ecological imbalances among wild populations.

Each member country of the OIRSA region has an official list of regulated pests and diseases according to their phytosanitary status, based on which they apply quarantine measures or restrictions to safeguard their agricultural heritage.

Today, the production and exports of agricultural and livestock products from OIRSA member countries amount to US$9.8 billion, according to the World Bank. The introduction and establishment of new pests and diseases of plants and animals in the region would, therefore, cause a significant economic, political, and social impact and pose a threat to the food security of the population and the environment. Below is a list of different pests and diseases that pose a major threat to regional agricultural and livestock health:

The African giant snail (Achatina fulica)
It is native to East Africa and feeds on leaves, bark, flowers, and fruits of a wide variety of wild and cultivated plants. Examples include breadfruit trees, cocoa, cassava, flowers, peanuts, and vegetables.

The Khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium)
It is native to India, Ceylon, and Malaysia. It is one of the most important and destructive pests of stored products such as wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn, rice, malt, pasta, etc. The economic implications of the Khapra beetle for agriculture are twofold: a) due to direct damage to products and by-products in storage conditions, and b) due to the implementation of phytosanitary measures by importing countries on countries exporting with the presence of the pest.

Peste Porcina Africana (PPA)

It is caused by a DNA virus from the Asfarviridae family, Asfarviridae, genus AsfivirusIt spreads through the presence of domestic and wild pigs, both directly and indirectly, and through vectors such as soft ticks. Currently, it is present in wild or domestic pigs in regions of Asia, Europe, Africa, and America. It is responsible for massive losses in pig populations and has serious economic consequences.

Wilt caused by Fusarium in bananas (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4)
It is a devastating disease of the Musaceae family, originating from Southeast Asia, and it affects banana plants of the following varieties: Gros Michel, Bluggoe, and Cavendish leading to their death. The damages are not only linked to economic losses due to diseased plants but also to the cost of management measures to be implemented, as well as the technological changes that need to be introduced to minimize the impacts of the plague.

The tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta)
The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta, is an insect pest native to South America that primarily attacks plants in the Solanaceae family. Its main host plant is the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), but it can also damage crops such as potatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants. However, the damage inflicted on these plants is not as severe as that observed in tomatoes. Tuta absoluta can affect tomatoes at any stage of development, from seedlings to mature plants, making it a significant threat to tomato cultivation.

The red palm mite (Raoiella indica)
Quarantine-significant pest originating from South Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa. It damages coconut trees, oil palms, bananas, plantains, heliconias, and other ornamental plants, causing severe economic losses.

Longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)
Native to eastern China, Japan, and Korea, it is a pest of trees that affects international trade because it can be found in wooden packaging, timber with bark, and without bark. There is the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15, which must be complied with by subjecting the wood to quarantine treatment and affixing a permanent seal as required by the standard.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
This disease was first diagnosed in the United Kingdom in 1986. It is a progressive and fatal disease of adult cattle, with an average incubation period of five years. Some symptoms include slight weight loss and a decrease in milk production.