Plant health officers in Europe commend the IPPC Plant Health Campus as a vital learning tool
Posted on Mon, 22 Sep 2025, 13:05
©FAO / Alessandro Penso
Delegates from European Union Member States and their partner organizations attending the Working Party of Chief Plant Health Officers (CPHOs) on 16 September in Brussels, Belgium, praised the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) for its IPPC Plant Health Campus initiative. Led by Henry Damsgaard Lanng, Chair of the CPHOs and Chief Plant Health Officer for the Danish Ministry of Food, Agricultural and Fisheries, delegates acknowledged the IPPC Plant Health Campus as a useful, timely and innovative approach to strengthening the technical skills of plant health officers in the region, by offering a range of e-learning courses and resources, enabling them to better protect plant health and facilitate safe trade.
The applause for the IPPC Plant Health Campus was in response to a keynote presentation by Sarah Brunel, Lead of the Implementation and Facilitation Unit (IFU), marking the IPPC’s second appearance at the CPHOs since 2018. She highlighted the key elements and benefits of the Campus and called for support in expanding the courses, translating the content into multiple languages and promoting its adoption among plant health professionals in Europe and globally. Brunel also praised the EU for its outstanding support to plant health capacity development.
Why the IPPC Plant Health Campus
The IPPC Plant Health Campus, developed in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) elearning Academy and funding from the European Union, is a one-stop online portal to free e-learning courses, practical guides on plant health topics and phytosanitary technical information to empower officers in national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) to provide essential phytosanitary services and build stronger phytosanitary systems. Launched in 2024, the resources include interactive modules, videos and case studies, available in multiple languages (currently in English and French) and adapted for use even by non-technical users such as officials in plant health organizations, national stakeholders, students and plant health enthusiasts.
“The IPPC is committed to developing world-class professionals to keep our borders safe from pests and ensure smooth trade”, said Brunel. “Therefore, to ensure high-quality education and knowledge generation, the courses are developed by international and seasoned plant health experts and to sustain this approach, we need more support to make learning free, accessible and transformational”, she added.
Popular courses include Achieving market access for plant and plant products; conducting a Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) and Emergency preparedness for plant pest outbreaks. Upon successful completion, learners earn a digital badge with verifiable credentials that certify the knowledge and skills acquired.
Unlike related professions such as veterinary or public health, there are limited structured training courses for plant health professionals. The CPHOs’ meeting was therefore an appropriate space to present the IPPC Plant Health Campus and increase its access by plant protection officers in the region. Learners from Europe make up 13 percent of IPPC Plant Health Campus users, following Asia (29 percent) and Africa, leading with 48 percent.
The CPHO is a forum of the European Union where plant health inspectors from the various European Union Member States meet to discuss and harmonize policies and actions related to plant health. Key issues include implementing the EU Plant Health Law, preventing the introduction and spread of emerging plant pests, strengthening pest surveillance and alert systems, and fostering research collaboration, particularly in the face of increased globalization and climate change.
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