CPM-20 Plant Health Innovation Fair

09:30 – 10:00 | Welcome Coffee & Networking

Coffee and light refreshments will be available as participants arrive and orient themselves in the Atrium.

10:00 – 10:20 | Official Opening

Welcome remarks by Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director-General (DDG).

Remarks by Dominique Pelletier on innovation integration in implementation and capacity development activities, Chair of the Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC).

10:20 – 13:00 | Innovation Fair – Free Walk & Guided Interaction

Overview of the Innovation Stations – presented by Camilo Beltrán Montoya (Agricultural Officer, IPPC Secretariat).

Participants will move freely among four thematic innovation stations and the accompanying poster gallery. Each station is supported by dedicated facilitators who guide visitors through the space, while exhibitors and demonstrators present their tools, methodologies, and practical solutions for plant health. The format encourages active engagement, direct interaction, and discovery of scalable innovations..

Station 1 – Climate Science, Modelling & Predictive Analytics (Booths)
Interactive booths demonstrating how climate data, horizon scanning, AI analytics, and risk modelling are operationalized to support phytosanitary decision-making and preparedness.

Booth showcases:

• European Union / EFSA – EU Approach to Emerging Plant Health Threats: Integrated Horizon Scanning, Risk Assessment, Diagnostics and Research-to-Regulation Tools
• Mexico (SENASICA) – Integrated Spatial Intelligence for Phytosanitary Surveillance: GIS- and AI-Based Risk Assessment for Citrus Canker
• Mexico (CNRF / SENASICA) – Drone-Based Multispectral Surveillance for Fusarium TR4 Detection and Risk Prioritization (merged with SENASICA booth)
• Kenya / Togo (ICIPE / University of Lomé) – ChatENM: An AI Chatbot for Ecological Niche Modelling in Pest Risk Analysis and Horizon Scanning (provisional)

Station 2 – Immersive Emergency Simulation (Booths)
Booths offering immersive and interactive simulation tools that strengthen preparedness, coordination, and response capacity for phytosanitary emergencies.

Booth showcases:

• IPPC Secretariat / FAO – IPPC Pest Outbreak Simulation and Immersive Training Tools for Prevention, Preparedness and Response (provisional)
• OIRSA (Central America) – Immersive Simulation and Rapid Field Diagnostics for Plant Pest Emergency Preparedness
• New Zealand (MPI) – Immersive Virtual Reality for Biosecurity Awareness and Preparedness: The Kauri Dieback Experience

Station 3 – Hands-on Field Technologies (Booths)
Field-ready, NPPO-relevant technologies demonstrated through interactive booths, supporting early detection, inspection, diagnostics, and surveillance.

Booth showcases:

• Guatemala (NPPO – MAGA) – Low-Cost Smart Phytosanitary Traps for Early Detection and Surveillance in Low-Resource Settings
• Sri Lanka (NPPO) – Rebuilding National Pest Surveillance Systems: Digital Tools for Rice and Fruit Fly Monitoring
• Italy (University of Padova – Digital Identification Tools for Rapid Detection of EU Quarantine Scolytine Beetles at Points of Entry
• World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) – VeggieMon: A Global Disease Surveillance and Pathogen Intelligence Platform for Vegetable Crops (provisional)

Station 4 – Poster Gallery & Knowledge Exchange (Posters Only)
Evidence, experience, AI applications and analytical insight
A dedicated poster gallery presenting analytical work, country experiences, emerging use of AI in phytosanitary programs and methodological advances that inform phytosanitary policy and implementation.

Poster presentations:

1. Canada (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) – Nachet: Weed Seed Identification Using Artificial Intelligence
2. China (Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences / CABI) – AI-Enabled Monitoring, Forecasting and Control of Vegetation Pests and Diseases
3. Senegal (Gaston Berger University) – Early Detection of Eggplant Pests Based on the You Only Look Once (YOLO) App for Precision Agriculture
4. Jamaica (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining) – Strengthening Quarantine Pest Surveillance Through AI-Enabled Smart Trap Technology
5. Japan (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – MAFF) – Artificial Intelligence Development for Detection of Plant Pathogenic Fungi Spores
6. Mexico (National Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality Service – SENASICA) – Phytosanitary Alert System for Economically Significant Pests in Corn, Bean, Wheat and Rice
7. North American Plant Protection Organization – NAPPO – Transformative Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Plant Protection
8. Netherlands (NVWA / Netherlands Institute for Vectors, Invasive Plants and Plant Health) – Monster or Mundane: International Data-Sharing to Prevent Unnecessary Regulation and Trade Barriers
9. Uganda (Department of Crop Inspection and Certification, Ministry of Agriculture) – Risk Modelling of Clavibacter nebraskensis, an Emerging Pest Threat
10. United States (University of Florida) – The R2M Plant Health Toolbox: Rapid Risk Assessment for Invasive Pathogens and Pests
11. Netherlands (Wageningen University & Research) – senseApest: Early Detection of Invasive Pests Using VOC-Based Sensors
12. Zimbabwe (Directorate of Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services – ARDAS) – Horizon Scanning of Invasive Plant Pests Endangering Zimbabwe’s Agriculture Sector